


The Gerudo's Redemption

by wisdomofme



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: F/M, Gerudo Link (Legend of Zelda), Sorry I'm a serial stealth editor, pre botw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2020-12-31 05:03:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 31,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21079553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisdomofme/pseuds/wisdomofme
Summary: One summer night a Gerudo woman is found at the gates of Gerudo Town. She delivers two things to the Chieftain Urbosa; a prophecy and a baby boy.After thousands of years the Gerudo now have a King. What once would've been a momentous occasion is now fraught with danger as the Gerudo are forced to raise him in secret to avoid straining the tenuous relationship between themselves and the Hylians. Although difficult, it is what they must accomplish in order to redeem themselves as the defenders of Hyrule.Link isn’t sure how he’ll manage to juggle the responsibility of being both Hero and King, but if it means he’ll finally get a chance to meet Princess Zelda then he’ll try.-A retelling of Breath of the Wild if Link were born the next King of the Gerudo. Inspired by Rose Zemlya's the Legend of Zelda: The Return and Reconciliation on FanFiction.net.On Hiatus until Age of Calamity comes out!





	1. A Prince is Born

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Legend of Zelda: The Return](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/527822) by Rose Zemlya. 

> Gerudo language translation guide (Including some terms I've made up)
> 
> Sav’otta: Good morning  
Sav’aaq: Good day  
Sav’orq: Goodbye  
Sarqso: Thank you  
Sav’oor: Goodnight  
Sav’saaba: Good evening  
Vasaaq: Hello  
Vaba: Grandmother  
Vai: Woman  
Voe: Man  
Vehvi: Child  
Sa’oten: Good heavens  
Avvore: Fool  
Is’sahr: I’m sorry  
Aavarh: Good luck

In the third week of the dry season, in the fifth year of her reign, the goddess chosen Chieftain Urbosa was awoken from her slumber in the early hours of the morning by the Captain of the Gerudo guard.

“Chieftain,” Sheena hissed from where she knelt by Urbosa’s bedside. “Urbosa, get up.”

Urbosa was thankful that she was quick to recognise the voice of her friend, even in the hazy cusp of sleep. She released her grip on the handle of her dagger and pulled her hand out from under her pillow, pushing herself to her elbows as she did.

“In Din’s name Sheena,” Urbosa groaned as she sat up fully, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and watching as the woman pushed herself to her feet. “What could possibly be so urgent-"

“A sister has arrived at the northern gate,” Sheena said, stepping back as not to crowd Urbosa. “She’s heavily pregnant but weak, the midwife fears that she won't make it through the birth.”

Urbosa sighed, rubbing her wrist against her forehead as her heart clenched at the foretold loss. She’d been Chieftain for a few years now and had witnessed the passing of more of her people than she cared to count but she still grieved the loss of any of her sisters as keenly as the very first.

“My heart bleeds for her Sheena, but I doubt there is much I can do that a midwife or our doctors cannot-”

“She requested your presence at the gate Urbosa,” Sheena cut her off and it was only now that Urbosa began to notice how tense the other woman was. “She had crossed the entire desert in a single night and she requested your presence even before a midwife.”

The urgency in Sheena’s voice was only further enhanced by the clenching of her jaw and the tight grip she held on her spear. Urbosa let her gaze wander to her face but Sheena would not meet her eyes. She wouldn't be this insistent without reason, Urbosa knew, there was surely something that Sheena wasn’t saying.

“Fine,” Urbosa stood from the bed and turned to her wardrobe, pulling her thick red hair back as she walked and tying it into a hurried ponytail. “Wait outside Captain, I will be with you in but a moment.”

Sheena snapped to attention, ever the good Gerudo soldier, and with a silent nod left the room.  
Urbosa quickly changed from her sleep clothes, pulling on the simplest skirt and shirt that she could see. It only took her a moment but, even as she headed to the door, her mind raced with what Sheena might be withholding.

Had the woman at the gate come with a warning from a far off region of Hyrule? Had dissent stirred up again in the Hylian populace? Last Urbosa had heard the Gerudo still weren't popular with the Hylians but as of late they had been busy blaming the Goron’s over a minor eruption that had damaged a village located too deep in the Eldin region.

Stepping through the doorway and out into the cool night air, Urbosa nodded once at Sheena, who stood waiting beside the entrance to her room, and headed immediately down the stairs. Sheena was quick to follow but remained silent.

Urbosa stepped off the stairwell and into the Palace’s Throne Room, nodding once at the two Gerudo women who guarded the entrance, even at night, but not offering a reason for her presence at such an early hour. That was the nice thing about being Chieftain, she didn't need a reason.

Trotting down the last step of stairs with Sheena clunking behind her, Urbosa finally came to a stop as she hit the tiles of the Market Square, well and truly empty at this hour.

“To which midwife are we headed?” She asked, her eyes scanning the moonlit square as if it would provide her with an answer.

“Auren,” Sheena answered, jerking her head towards the eastern side of the town.

Jaw set in a determined line, Urbosa nodded once and strode off, haste in every step. As they reached the edge of the square Urbosa finally asked the question that had been niggling at her mind.

“What are you not telling me Sheena?” She asked, not even looking back at the woman in question.

For a few moments, the only response she got was the clang of Sheena’s armour as she walked. When she did speak, it was in the low tones of someone who feared the truth of what she was saying.

“Our sister came with a prophecy Chieftain. I dare not speak it aloud where others can hear.”

A prophecy. Urbosa feared what that meant for this town, her people. Worse, she feared what it meant for Hyrule.

“How many others know of this prophecy?” Urbosa asked, turning down the side street that lead to Auren’s home.

“Just Leron and Sulal,” Sheena replied. “They were on night watch at the northern gate when Tamaka arrived.”

“Tamaka?” Urbosa repeated, a frown maring her brow as she tried to place the name. 

“The sister in question Urbosa, she left Gerudo Town two years ago to become a trader.”

Urbosa hummed as Sheena’s comment resurfaced the vague memory of a warm smile in Market Square, encouraging customers to try the new recipes that she’d come up with overnight. Urbosa’s pace faltered for a moment as she remembered that Tamaka had not yet reached her twentieth year when she left to share her trade with the greater lands of Hyrule. What kind of prophecy could have driven the girl to endanger not only her life but the life of her unborn daughter as well?

Urbosa slowed to a stop outside Auren’s home, Sheena halting by her side. She could already hear Tamaka’s pained cries and Auren’s low voice. Steeling her nerves Urbosa knocked once on the door before pushing it open. 

Urbosa stepped into the sparse entry room, barren for everything but a table beside the doorway. A broken sob came from the room to the right and without hesitation Urbosa headed straight towards it, pausing only to gesture to Sheena that she should stay by the entrance. Stepping into the next room the first thing that Urbosa saw was Tamaka. She was propped up on a bed, blood coating her thighs and the sheets beneath them. Auren was standing between her legs, coaxing the girl through the birth and a third figure moved purposefully in the background. A particularly loud wail erupted from Tamaka as Auren noticed Urbosa hovering in the doorway.

“Chieftain,” Auren nodded at her. “I see that Sheena found you.”

Auren’s demeanor seemed calm but Urbosa could tell from her eyes that she was unsettled. No doubt the overwhelming amounts of blood that coated her forearms and continued to drip to the floor contributed to that.

Auren’s acknowledgement of her seemed to reach through to Tamaka, who’s eyes snapped open at the sound of Urbosa’s title and locked on to her form.

“Chieftain,” she gasped, pain in every crease on her young face. “You came.”

Tamaka’s fierce grip on the side of the mattress released in favour of holding out her hand towards the Chieftain.

“Of course,” Urbosa said as she stepped forward, making sure to plaster a warm smile on her face and slipping her hand into Tamaka’s. “You came all this way to see me.”

A half relieved smile almost made its way onto her face before it was contorted into another cry of pain. Tamaka’s nails dug into Urbosa’s hand, leaving deep welts in her skin but Urbosa just tuned out the pain and held on.

“Okay, the baby’s coming,” Auren said, looking to the fourth person in the room as she spoke. “Deru, I'm going to need more rags and hot water. Tamaka, you have to breathe with the contractions and push.”

The next two hours passed in a blur for Urbosa as she whispered encouragements to Tamaka and held tight to her hand, not wavering even as the girl’s nails drew blood from her palm. Auren and Deru, one of the doctors that resided in Gerudo Town, remained miraculously calm throughout the entire ordeal but the thin press of their lips told Urbosa all she needed to know about the situation. As for Tamaka, she was in far too much pain for talking- too much to surely even remember that she had needed to tell her Chieftain something urgently. Blur or not, when Urbosa finally felt Tamaka’s grip on her palm loosen the soft rays of dawn were just beginning to peek through the drapes that covered the sole window in the room. 

A piercing cry erupted in the room and Urbosa released Tamaka’s hand, stepping back as she felt the heavy weight on her shoulders lighten just slightly. At the very least Tamaka’s daughter had made it through, now Auren and Deru only had one patient to worry about. 

As Auren cooed and cradled the baby in her arms Deru ducked over to Urbosa’s side.

“How is it looking?” Urbosa asked, her voice hushed as they watched Auren quickly wipe down Tamaka’s daughter with a damp rag. “She made it through the birth…”

“The birth wasn't the problem,” Deru replied. “She was in no condition to be giving birth when she arrived. Auren had to induce the baby and, well, you saw how much blood there was, and she’s still losing blood. We've stemmed it for now but Auren thinks she has maybe an hour before it becomes too much for her.”

Urbosa let her eyes squeeze shut, pain tearing at her heart, before nodding and allowing Deru to continue tending to Tamaka.

“You have one healthy baby daughter Tamaka, if a little on the small side,” Auren announced as she walked over to Tamaka’s side.

Tamaka’s eyes cracked open at Auren’s words, a relieved but tired smile curling on her lips and she reached out, arms open and waiting for her daughter.

“The goddesses have given her the wrong genitalia,” Auren continued as she placed the baby in the crook of her elbow. “But that happens sometimes, even the Triune can't control everything.”  
Auren quickly showed Tamaka how to hold her daughter and Tamaka’s relieved smile transformed into a wide grin. Slightly more comfortable with her daughter in her arms, Tamaka brought the baby to her chest and allowed her to have her first feed.

“Ah, but the Triune controlled this,” Tamaka sighed, just slightly short of breath as she turned to Urbosa. “This is what I wanted to tell you Chieftain. While I was pregnant a Sheikah Oracle presented me with a prophecy.”

Urbosa straightened and took a step closer as Tamaka’s words took on a serious tone.

“My child would be the next King of the Gerudo,” she said, looking down at her child and pressing a comforting palm to the back of her- his- head. “A son for the Gerudo to raise, to provide us with a chance at redemption.”

Urbosa shook her head and stepped back from the bedside.

“The Oracles of the Sheikah tribe are notorious for their riddles Tamaka,” Urbosa said as she crossed her arms over her chest. “The Oracle was likely being intentionally misleading. We haven't had a King since the Thief and your daughter having a penis won't change that.”

“I know the thought of a Gerudo King is frightening, Chieftain,” Tamaka replied, frustration growing on her features and a note of pleading growing in her voice. “But the Oracle said-”

“A Gerudo can only give birth to those with the heart of a woman, sometimes the body just doesn't reflect the soul properly,” Urbosa continued, cutting off Tamaka’s objection. “The Shiekah think they know everything but they don't understand-”

“With all due respect Chieftain,” Auren hissed, directing a fierce warning glare at Urbosa. “Tamaka is still weak and causing her distress will not help-”

Auren’s scolding was cut short as three loud knocks in succession echoed through the small house. Urbosa turned her frustrated gaze on Auren who could only throw her hands up in her own frustrated and confused gesture.

“Thank you Sheena dear,” a voice came from the entry room, not even allowing Sheena the chance to make a sound, and growing in volume as the voice grew closer to the side room. “I respect what you're trying to do but Urbosa currently has need- Ah, Urbosa, what a coincidence. I was just looking for you.”

A Gerudo woman, her red hair streaked with gray and deep creases lining her face, stepped through the doorway, her eyes already set on Urbosa and a cheerful smile on her face. 

Urbosa’s gut lurched at the woman’s appearance, recognising her instantly as the Gerudo’s only Seer, Abula. The older woman’s attention wasn't on Urbosa for long though, switching immediately to the exhausted Tamaka as she came into view.

“Oh! Tamaka darling, I'm so glad that you made it here in one piece. Seeing your trek through the desert shook me to my very bones it did!”

Abula nattered on as she hobbled over to Tamaka’s bedside. With Abula’s back turned, Urbosa took the chance to glance through the doorway spotting Sheena hovering there, an apologetic look on her face as she caught Urbosa’s eye. Urbosa jerked her head accusingly towards Abula, causing Sheena to wince and shrug somewhat helplessly.

“And look, you managed to deliver our little Prince into the world. Ah, he looks so healthy! The height thing is going to be a sore point for him though.”

Urbosa’s attention snapped back to Abula as she spoke, everyone else in the room having a similar reaction.

“Prince,” Urbosa repeated. “Abula, you can't mean-”

“I mean, Urbosa,” Abula said, her voice suddenly serious as she turned to Urbosa, all trace of the nattering old lady gone. “The goddesses suggested that Tamaka might need some help in convincing you.”

“But-”

Abula ignored Urbosa as she continued, turning back to Tamaka who looked relieved to have someone on her side now.

“The Oracle that spoke to Tamaka spoke the truth, but she didn't see everything,” a mischievous grin appeared on Abula’s face. “You can hardly fault the poor girl, she's just a Sheikah Oracle. But I'm a Gerudo Seer and the goddesses told me everything.”

The room was silent as Abula took a moment to preen before leaning forward to tickle the stomach of Tamaka’s child with a wrinkled finger. The baby, now finished feeding and now attempting to take his first nap in his mother’s arms, made a disgruntled noise before shifting away from the contact. Abula snorted.

“He never likes it when I do that,” she muttered to herself.

Urbosa gritted her teeth and breathed out. This was just like Abula to barge in, announce she knew something and then pretend that she wasn’t moments away from revealing earth shattering news. Honestly, Urbosa did not have the patience for this right now.

“Abula,” she snapped. “What did the Triune reveal to you?”

“Oh,” Abula looked up from the baby and back to her unfortunately captive audience. “That's right. This boy isn't only our King, he's also the Chosen Hero reborn.”

Urbosa wasn't the only person struck speechless, even Tamaka’s pale and sweat slicked face managed to show surprise. Even though questions lay thick on each of their tongues, it was Deru, who had come to hover by the exit of the room, that was the first to gather her wits.

“That's not possible,” she said, almost a whisper to herself. “Farore’s Chosen has always been a Hylian-”

“Are you so quick to discount the Gerudo so?” Abula said, turning to the doctor. “How are we different from the Hylians? Our ears have even grown long and pointed as to hear the whispers of the goddesses better.”

“But the Gerudo are blessed by Din,” Sheena spoke up from the doorway. “Why would Farore-”

Abula stood, cutting off Sheena’s words, and began to advance on the Captain, offence clear on her face.

“Make no mistake, the Gerudo hold the favour of Din dear, but it is the Triune that blessed the Gerudo to be a tribe of warrior women,” Abula said, her wrinkled finger now turned on Sheena, jabbing with each point she made. “And bestowed upon us our sacred duties, not Din alone. We forgot our duties once and were punished for it. But this Prince, he is our path to redemption in their eyes.”

Abula grew still and quiet as she finished, allowing her hand to drop to her side as her eyes glazed over. Auren watched the older woman with concern plain on her face but Urbosa placed an arm out to hold her back before she could step forward.

“I fear that we are not the only ones being tested,” Abula spoke as she stood there in a trace.   
“The Hylians have taken the protection of their daughter for granted, the Triune seek to determine if they are worthy of it.”

Abula shook her head and blinked herself back to reality before turning to Auren.

“But right now you need to tend to your patient.”

Auren jerked in surprise at being addressed and snapped her gaze to Tamaka. She darted into motion, Deru instantly by her side, and Urbosa found her eyes landing on Tamaka. The girl had grown pale whilst everyone's attention had been on Abula, far paler than any Gerudo had any business being. She struggled to keep her eyes open, falling shut and fluttering open every few moments, and the baby was less being held in her arms and more resting again her breast. 

Urbosa walked over to Tamaka’s side, making sure to stay out of Deru and Auren’s way as they worked, and rested a hand on her shoulder. It took a moment but Tamaka managed to raise her head to lock eyes with Urbosa standing by her bedside. She smiled.

“I'm glad I managed to make it home,” Tamaka said, her voice weak but Urbosa could still hear her words. “Knowing that his sisters will raise him… Fills me with great joy.”

Urbosa swallowed all the fear and uncertainty that welled up in her at the thought of acknowledging exactly what this baby meant, and let a heartfelt smile curl on her lips.

“He will be the greatest King the Gerudo have ever known,” Urbosa said, every word a promise. “King of the Gerudo, son of Tamaka-”

“Link, son of the Gerudo,” Tamaka interrupted her, a fierce determination burning in her eyes despite her weakened state. “If he's truly the Chosen Hero reborn then he should bear the name of legend. And I don't think…”

Tamaka trailed off, releasing a shaky breath and letting her eyes droop shut for a moment. Urbosa squeezed her shoulder, understanding what she was trying to say but knowing that saying such words aloud was too hard for the young mother.

“Link, son of the Gerudo,” Urbosa repeated nodding once. “Not a very Gerudo name but I'm sure everyone will get used to it eventually.”

“Thank you Chieftain,” Tamaka whispered, her eyes fluttering shut and her head sinking back to rest against the pillows. “Look after him…”

Urbosa tightened her grip on Tamaka’s shoulder again but she knew that the young girl couldn't feel the comforting gesture anymore. Giving herself a moment to find composure, Urbosa blinked back her tears and cleared her throat. There would be time to mourn in private, right now she had to think about what was best for her people.

Looking up, the first sight she saw was Abula standing on the other side of Tamaka's bed, her hand on the young girl’s forehead and whispering prayers to the Triune in the Gerudo tongue. Deciding not to interrupt the Seer until she was finished, Urbosa turned to Auren and Deru who stood shoulder to shoulder at the end of the bed, their eyes respectfully on the ground but taking comfort in the small contact.

“Auren, Deru,” Urbosa spoke quietly but their eyes snapped to her the moment she said their names. “Do you have any duties you need to perform today?”

Auren shook her head but Deru licked her lips nervously and spoke.

“I have patients I need to see to in the afternoon,” she seemed uncomfortable denying Urbosa the unspoken request but Urbosa just shook her head.

“No that's fine, this will only take up a few hours of your morning and you'll have my permission to leave if it drags on for too long,” Urbosa said and then turned to Sheena. “I need you to call a meeting of the Elite, tell them it will start in an hour, and then meet me back in the Throne Room.” Urbosa went to dismiss Sheena with a wave but stilled her hand as she remembered another detail. “And the two girls on watch, Leron and Sulal, bring them as well. The events of tonight need to stay between us, at least until I have decided what we are to do.”

Sheena straightened at the order and gave Urbosa a swift nod, understanding the severity of the situation, before turning to the door and leaving the midwife’s home. Glad to have started the hard task ahead of her Urbosa turned back to the room only to find Abula holding the baby- the boy- in her arms and attempting to tickle his stomach again, much to his distress.

“Don't you worry Urbosa,” Abula said without looking at her. “I'll look after little Link here, and I'll even appear at this precious meeting of yours.”

Urbosa sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to get much better from the old woman, and let her gaze drift over to Tamaka’s still body. The girl could've been asleep if she didn't know better, a blanket already thrown over her torso by Auren or Deru most likely.

Urbosa felt a hand wrap around her upper arm and she raised her head to find Auren smiling softly at her.

“Thank you for being by her side, Urbosa,” Auren whispered, her thumb rubbing soothing circles. “The goddesses were right to choose you as our Chieftain.”

Urbosa forced a small smile onto her lips. “Anything for my sisters.”

“Leave Tamaka to us, and Deru and I will make sure that Abula makes it to the meeting,” she said. “You wanted us there in an hour?”

Urbosa nodded, not quite trusting her words.

“Then we'll be there. I suspect you have a busy hour ahead of you.”

“She's trying to tell you to go Urbosa,” Abula called out, startling baby Link from his nap and sending him into a wailing fit. “We'll be fine, go do your Chieftain business.”

Urbosa placed a hand over Auren’s on her arm.

“Thank you Auren, and you Deru,” she said, raising her voice to catch the doctor’s attention. “If you have any requests of me in the future, please do not hesitate in bringing them forwards.”

With no time for goodbyes, Urbosa nodded to them in parting and left for the Palace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter! This work is my NaNoWriMo Project for this November and I just wanted to see how many people would be interested in this kind of story, so expect more (a lot more probably) at the end of November. If you did like it please leave a comment or a kudos or, if you've read Rose Zemlya's the Legend of Zelda: The Return, then tell me your favourite part from it!


	2. The Meeting of the Elite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gerudo language translation guide (Including some terms I've made up)
> 
> Sav’otta: Good morning  
Sav’aaq: Good day  
Sav’orq: Goodbye  
Sarqso: Thank you  
Sav’oor: Goodnight  
Sav’saaba: Good evening  
Vasaaq: Hello  
Vaba: Grandmother  
Vai: Woman  
Voe: Man  
Vehvi: Child  
Sa’oten: Good heavens  
Avvore: Fool  
Is’sahr: I’m sorry  
Aavarh: Good luck

A knock on the wall of the Records Room interrupted Urbosa from the scroll she was reading. She took a brief moment to finish the line she was on before raising her head, her eyes locking on Sheena. She was standing in the doorway framed by the two slightly shorter figures standing behind her. If Sheena had done as she was instructed, and she always did, then Urbosa figured it was safe to assume them to be the two gate guards; Leron and Sulal.

“Apologies Chieftain, but you weren't in the Throne Room,” Sheena said. “Due to the situation at hand, I figured that you might be here.”

“Yes, thank you Captain,” Urbosa replied as she rolled the scroll back up and stood from her desk, silently thankful that she’d taken the moment to change out of her bloodied clothing and into her armour before heading into the dusty Records Room. “I expect that the Elite are waiting for me?”

Sheena inclined her head and stepped to the side of the doorway as Urbosa walked through, Leron and Sulal quickly imitating her. Urbosa stopped in front of the two guards. The pair of them were new initiates in the guard, Urbosa recalled, not even out of their teens. Leron stood to attention in perfect form, her short hair curling at her jaw, while Sulal did her best not to fidget beside her. Unfortunately the subtle clanking of her armor was quick to give her away.

“Leron, Sulal,” Urbosa acknowledged them with the slightest tilt of her head. “Captain Sheena tells me that you two were on duty this morning when Tamaka arrived.”

“Yes Chieftain,” Leron said, her gaze remaining straight ahead and Urbosa fought back an amused smile at her severe demeanor. 

“And I assume Tamaka told you about the prophecy that she wished to share with me?”

Leron broke form for the first time in Urbosa’s presence, sharing a nervous glance with Sulal.

“Yes Chieftain,” Sulal answered after a moment’s hesitation. “We didn’t catch everything but- um, the part about a new King. Is that true?”

Urbosa let her tongue click against the roof of her mouth as she shared her own glance with Sheena. Sensing her gaze Sheena offered Urbosa only a nod.

Well then, if Sheena thought it fit to trust them…

“Yes, this morning Tamaka’s claims of a prophecy were confirmed by our own Seer just after Tamaka gave birth to the next King of the Gerudo,” Urbosa said, watching as several emotions warred on the young guards’ faces. “There is more to the prophecy that I will discuss in the meeting of the Elite but that is the long and short of it.” Urbosa sighed as she reached what she wanted to talk to the girls about. “Now, since you are privy to this information I will require the two of you to attend the meeting of the Elite.”

The shock that had appeared on the girls’ faces when hearing that the next King of the Gerudo had been born was nothing compared to this. Urbosa watched as Leron jolted in place and Sulal physically recoiled a step back.

“But we're just guards,” Sulal objected.

“And the meeting of the Elites is for,” Leron cut in. “Well, the Elites. We have no place-”

“These are outstanding circumstances,” Urbosa said, her tone making it clear that this was final. “I will require everyone who knows about this to attend the meeting.” Urbosa rubbed her wrist against her forehead and glanced at the scroll gripped in her hand. “And on that note, I believe I am needed in the Throne Room.”

Urbosa looked to Sheena, who instantly fell in behind her as she began to make her way through the Palace. It took a moment, but shortly after Urbosa heard muffled clanking as Leron and Sulal followed Sheena. 

It only took a few moments for their small procession to make their way through the Palace and to a small side entrance to the Throne Room. As she entered the chamber Urbosa absently noted the familiar rectangular table that had been set up in front of her raised throne. On either side of the table were four seats but only the four nearest to the throne were occupied. Each of the Gerudo women wore blank expressions as they sat tall in the chairs. To outsiders they may have seemed uninterested but Urbosa could tell from their eyes that not a single one of them felt flippantly about their summons. 

As Urbosa reached the arm of the throne each of the Elite stood from their seats, inclining their heads to her respectfully. Sheena walked forwards from her position behind Urbosa and stopped by one of the empty chairs towards the middle of the table, offering her own respectful nod as she did so and leaving Leron and Sulal hovering awkwardly in the back of the room.

“Thank you sisters, please, take your seats,” Urbosa said and she settled into the throne as the scrape of chairs echoed around her. “Leron, Sulal, would you mind waiting for Deru and Auren by the main entrance and guiding them in when they arrive?”

Leron and Sulal snapped to attention and nodded, looking much more relaxed now that they had a task to complete. The Elite watched silently as the two guards left the room, turning back to Urbosa once the seven of them were alone again.

“Why have you summoned us here Urbosa?” Tula, the Tactician of the Gerudo Army, demanded.

“And why so early?” Asked Karlee, the Master of Trade who sat opposite Tula. A small smirk appeared on her lips alongside the slightest glimmer of amusement in her eyes now that the two young guards had left.

“I do apologise for the hurried summons sisters,” Urbosa said. “But this is a serious matter that was only brought to my attention a few hours ago.”

Urbosa leaned forward and placed the bound scroll on the table, ignoring it for the moment even as the Elites’ attention was drawn to the object.

“Early this morning, Tamaka, a sister who had left Gerudo Town two years ago, returned to our gates pregnant and with a prophecy,” Urbosa steeled herself as she continued to speak. “Although Tamaka managed to give birth to a healthy baby this morning, it is with great regret that I inform you all that she passed into the arms of the Triune shortly thereafter.”

Urbosa looked down the table and saw sorrow on all her sister’s faces. Karlee looked particularly torn by the news and Urbosa suspected that as Master of Trade she had interacted with Tamaka more often than any of the other Elite.

“I mourn the loss of our sister Urbosa,” Onumu, the stern Master of Education, said. “But I do hope you didn't summon a meeting of the Elite just to pass on this news.”

“No,” Urbosa rested her chin on a palm and nodded at Onumu. “You are correct, that is not why we are here today. Before Tamaka passed she shared with me the prophecy that she spoke of. The prophecy was then confirmed by Abula, who has promised that she would attend-”

“And as promised is here,” Abula’s voice echoed through the room.

Strutting through the wide entrance, she lead Auren and Deru into the Throne Room with a small bundle held protectively against Auren’s shoulder. Leron and Sulal marched briskly to keep up with Abula’s fast pace, less the escorts and more the escorted by the older woman. Abula had changed out of her nightclothes, much to Urbosa’s relief, and was now adorned in the white robes and armor pieces that befitted the Gerudo’s Voice of the Triune. The sheer white material fluttered around her as she swept across the room and took the seat across from Sheena at the table.

“Deru, Auren,” the Head Healer, Emin, called out to the two women as they entered her line of view, her brow furrowed in confusion at the sight of them. “What are you doing here?”

Auren and Deru traded uncomfortable looks as they paused in the middle of the hall.

"I requested that they come," Urbosa replied in their stead. "There is news we need to discuss and these four are the only ones outside of the Elite that know. This information needs to be contained until we decide what to do with it." Urbosa turned back to the small group, frozen in the middle of the room. “Auren, Deru, please take a seat.” Urbosa gestured to the two remaining seats at the table. “And Leron and Sulal, here please.” Urbosa waved her hand to either side on her throne watching with a faint trace of amusement as the four women hesitated.

Auren, being the eldest of the four, moved first, squaring her shoulders and raising her chin in response to the honour that Urbosa was bestowing upon them. Being asked to sit at the table of the Elite was no ordinary request. Deru was quick to follow in Auren’s footsteps as she moved towards the table and Leron and Sulal hesitated only a moment longer before giving a sharp nod and marching towards Urbosa. They split up, taking up position on either side of the throne like any good soldier would be expected to at the request of the Chieftain. Urbosa noted that the two young guards looked uneasy in the presence of the Elite, even without having been granted a seat, but that was to be expected given their relative inexperience.

Turning her attention back to the table Urbosa found that all eyes were on the babe in Auren’s arms.

“Is that,” Karlee’s voice faltered, her gaze locked on the small bundle. “Is that Tamaka’s daughter?”

A lump solidified in Urbosa’s throat at the unguarded expression on Karlee’s face but she steeled her nerves and let the woman’s question go unanswered.

“See Urbosa,” Abula said, drawing the Elites’ attention with a wave of her hand. “I'm here and right on time as promised.”

“Only if you call ten minutes late ‘on time’,” Tula said, a trace of amusement colouring her gruff voice as she dragged her eyes over to the Seer.

“I am on time, little Tula. Just in time to explain the message that the Triune sent to me,” Abula explained to the younger woman.

Tula huffed out a laugh but gave the entirety of her attention to the Seer as the rest of the table turned to listen to her speak. Abula hesitated for a moment, glancing quickly to Urbosa, who braced herself before inclinging her head.

“The Triune have foretold that the Hero of Legend will return to save Hyrule once again,” Abula said. “And at the hour of dawn this morning he was born to the Gerudo as our next King.”

Abula's words hung heavy in the air for a moment until Karlee to burst into laughter. The Seer’s expression soured and only twisted further as Onumu turned to Urbosa and said, “Does the Voice of the Triune take us for fools?”

“He will be both King of the Gerudo and the Chosen Hero,” Abula insisted, pushing her seat back with a screech and slamming her palms against the table. “He will be called upon to fight the Bane of the Gerudo alongside the Golden Princess by his twentieth year.”

Karlee’s laughter petered out as she shared a hesitant glance with Emin across the table at the mention of the Bane. Tula sank back into her seat, her arms crossed over her chest with her brow furrowed in thought, and Sheena shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Onumu’s eyes latched onto the movement and refused to waver until Sheena relented. 

“I was there for the birth of the vevhi,” she admitted with a sigh. “And I witnessed Abula speak a prophecy from the Triune.”

Onumu turned to Deru and Auren as did several other members of the Elite, their gaze’s hovering on the baby in Auren’s arms. Auren couldn’t help but pull him closer to her chest, as if to defend him from the Elite.

“A prophecy about a new King?” Tula pressed as she turned back to Sheena, the possibility that this was all true making her sound hesitant.

Sheena shook her head. “About the Hylians and the Gerudo being tested. From the sound of it the future ahead will be difficult for all of Hyrule and I have no doubt that we may have need of a Hero in times to come."

Silence rang through the room as the Elite traded looks at the table, trying to piece together what this meant. A few pairs of eyes darted to the baby soundly sleepinging at the end of the table but the quiet could not last. Soon enough they all turned to Urbosa as the objections started again.

“The Chosen Hero is Hylian. Is always Hylian, as is the Golden Princess-”

“Surely Abula is mistaken, the Gerudo hasn't had a King in thousands of years-”

“Was that the exact wording of the goddesses, perhaps they meant something else-”

“Do you mean to say Tamaka’s child is the Chosen Hero-”

An irritated cry echoed through the Throne Room and once again all eyes were on the baby. Auren stiffened at all the attention and tried to rock him subtly, whispering comforting words in an attempt to hush him. Deru watched her with concern before her eyes squinted accusingly towards the Elite.

“Perhaps it’s best not to startle the vhevi mere hours after he’s been born,” Deru said, her tone carefully neutral as she addressed her superiors.

“The vhevi?” Emin had her fingers pressed against her temples. “That vhevi is supposedly our next King. And we all know how well the last one turned out.” 

Several voices rose to reply to Emin’s near blasphemous words but Abula, sick of being ignored, spoke up again.

“We will not let this King follow in his footsteps,” Abula said, her voice ringing clear throughout the room. “The Gerudo hold two sacred duties. We are to protect Hyrule from the threat of the sands and raise our King.” She stopped, holding two fingers raised in the air. “In that order. We failed once, and we were punished for it.”

“Punished for it?” Tula scoffed. “Our wards remain up, our people remain strong. I don’t see any downsides from our few hundred years without a King-”

“Of course you don’t see them,” Abula snapped, cutting the War Master off. “You’re not the one in this room blessed with the ability to See the goddess’ messages are you, vhevi?” Abula let out a sigh, pressing a gnarled finger to her temple. “Yes, the Gerudo are strong, but we used to be more than that. We were legends to the Hylians. We had fortresses throughout the desert, a desert that was named for us, not because we resided here, but because we were the only ones who could tame it.”

“Times have changed Abula,” Urbosa said, her gaze stern and locked onto the older woman. “We have need for traders and jewelers and doctors, we can’t all be warriors in this new world. There is more to strength than fortresses and fighting.”

“What I’m trying to say is that we have failed,” Abula insisted, fully focused on Urbosa now. “We were meant to protect Hyrule, but the bobokins and moblins have ventured so deep into Hyrule and for so long that the Hylians don’t even know to blame us. Those monsters were once contained in the wastes.” She laughed. “And now we can’t even rid our own home of the molduga. A King, this King, will change that.”

“How?” Sheena asked, a sour twist to her lips as she threw up her hands in frustration. “Are you saying that one voe can do what our entire guard cannot? We have tried to rid ourselves of the molduga but no one warrior can rid an entire desert of them!”

“This issue is bigger than the molduga, Captain,” Abula said, her glower focused on Sheena now. “With the King will come the blessings of Din. We will regain our strength once again, prove to the rest of Hyrule that we deserve their respect, that we can defend Hyrule once again. We will fulfill our sacred duties once again and return to a Golden Age.”

Emin and Karlee still looked doubtful but the promise from the Seer of the Gerudo returning to their place of standing was persuasive to the Elite. Even Leron and Sulal looked hopeful, Urbosa noted as her gaze drifted around the room before finally settling back on Abula.

“Was that a prophecy, Seer?” Urbosa asked, her voice echoing in the silent chamber.

“Of sorts,” Abula replied. “A self fulfilling one if you will. A King will always bring about change to the Gerudo, that much is clear in our historical texts.” 

Abula glanced at Onumu as she spoke. The Master of Education hesitated for a moment before nodding once.

“It is true, our ancient records claim that the birth of a King signals change for the Gerudo,” she explained. “Raise him well and the change is good. Raise him poorly and, well…”

“You get the Bane,” Karlee finished, her voice solemn and all signs of her usual twitchiness gone.

The table grew quiet once again as each of the Elite retreated into their thoughts. The silence hovered over the room until Tula turned to Urbosa. “Urbosa, under the assumption that this is all true, what of our treaty with the Hylians?” 

Urbosa gave the stern Tactician a thankful nod for the question, finally one that Urbosa thought serious enough to answer.

“The treaty is of the utmost importance,” Urbosa said, all of the Elite quieting as she spoke. “And I'd like to address it before we give our Seer and trusted Voice of the Triune the wrong impression about our faith in her Din blessed powers.”

Abula huffed from her seat at the end of the table, an unimpressed expression on her face, and gestured for Urbosa to continue.

“It was our failing in our sacred duties that resulted in our current treaty with the Hylians and the Royal family of Hyrule.” Urbosa stood from her throne and rolled the scroll out on the table so it could be read and pointed to a specific line towards the bottom of the text. “Our current issue is that one of the clear requirements of the treaty is that the Royal family of Hyrule is to be informed when the next King of the Gerudo is anointed.”

Tula hummed as Urbosa finished speaking and stepped back from the edge of the table, giving the rest of the Elite room to view the treaty.

“Wouldn't this imply that, technically, we've already broken the treaty,” Tula said with a concerned tilt to her head as Urbosa confirmed her own train of thought. “Since, by Gerudo law, a King is anointed at birth.”

“Technically,” Urbosa agreed. “But I think that most of us have come to the conclusion by now that if we were to notify King Rhoam that a new Gerudo King has been born it would not end well for us.”

Several heads nodded around the table at Urbosa’s words.

“Trade from the other regions of Hyrule has been weak of late,” Karlee said, her fingers drumming against the table as she spoke. “And trade with the Hylians has been all but nonexistent for the last several years. I'm sure this would be backed by visitor statistics as well.”

Karlee turned her gaze to Sheena who gave a nod to confirm the younger woman’s theory.

“The majority of outsiders visiting Gerudo Town have been Gorons,” Sheena said, shifting uncomfortably as everyone's eyes turned to her. “We have a few Rito visitors each year, mostly on political visits, and the Zora obviously cannot survive in the desert, but most Hylians only go as far as Kara Kara Bazar, if they come at all.”

“I can confirm that we still have good relations with the Zora,” Tula continued on from Sheena. “The Gorons and Rito have a good opinion of us thanks to our gem trade but my sources say that the Hylian’s public opinion of us is on the decline. No thanks to King Rhoam’s twisted preaching of legend.”

Grumbling erupted across the table at the topic of King Rhoam.

“And unfortunately Queen Zelda’s open favour of the Gerudo tribe is doing us more harm than good,” Karlee added. “The Hylians are beginning to believe that we’ve corrupted her.”

Grumbling escalated into outrage and Urbosa didn't even attempt to keep the peace, her own bitter feelings towards the King rising in her throat. Thankfully Onumu’s calm voice spoke up before she made a fool of herself in front of her Elite.

“If I may," Auren interrupted, her voice hesitant as the entirety of the Elite turned to her. "Perhaps we just don't inform the Royal family of Hyrule of our new King. If the treaty has already been broken, why not just continue on?"

“And risk the great King Rhoam finding out?” Emin let a bitter laugh escape her lips. “His army would be on our doorstep the moment he found out we'd broken the treaty!”

The table fell into silence once again as each member tried to come up with a solution to their conundrum.

“What if we didn't break the treaty,” Karlee suggested.

“And sentence the vehvi to death, wonderful idea,” Tula said, snorting and leaning an elbow on the table.

"If you'd let me finish,” Karlee snapped, her face twisting into a disgruntled expression. “What I was trying to point out is that the treaty says we must inform the Royal family of Hyrule when the King is anointed, if we were to change the law that states a King is anointed at birth then-”

“- Then we wouldn't have broken the treaty,” Urbosa finished, which Karlee allowed with a pleased nod. 

“It would only be postponing our problem though Chieftain,” Sheena pointed out. “We would have to anoint the voe eventually.”

“We could give ourselves time at the very least,” Tula said, a slow smile growing on her lips. “If not for our relations with the Hylians to change, then at least until we are prepared to defend ourselves from the Hylians.”

“I do hope that it doesn’t come to that,” Urbosa said, the table looking to her as she spoke. “But granting ourselves more time would be a vital asset.”

Before anyone could even begin to agree Emin spoke up. "Couldn't we abolish the role of King?" Her lips were pulled down in a frown as she spoke out. "Why risk the creation of another Bane-"

"It's not a matter of us abolishing the role," Abula cut her off, her voice rising angrily. "The Triune have given him to us and now it is our duty to raise him."

Abula glared at Emin for a long moment, the Head Healer returning the look in kind, until Tula interrupted them.

"I understand your worry healer," Tula said. "But fearing a babe for what he might be in years to come- does it not sound a mite unfair?"

Emin slowly gave the Tactician a nod but her gaze dropped to the table and her mouth sat in a stiff line.

“The question would be then,” Onumu said, returning to the previous conversation. “How much time would we need to buy?”

“Ideally until King Rhoam’s successor takes the throne but, as Queen Zelda is yet to bear a child, who knows when that may be,” Sheena said, her thoughtful gaze turning to Urbosa. “But this talk of buying time doesn’t change the fact that this voe will be both Hero and King. Are we sure that he will be able to handle both duties?”

Urbosa hummed and silently had to admit that she had contemplated this problem while she was searching the record room. “I don’t think it’s a matter of our opinion. As Abula has mentioned, this is the will of the Triune and we have little say in it.”

“But still the Captain does make a good point.” Karlee leaned back in her and rubbed at the side of her neck. “The King’s duty is to put the needs of the Gerudo above all others, how can he do that if he is required to perform some other task for Hyrule?”

“We can’t change his duties,” Tula spoke up, her nails clacking against the table as she voiced her thoughts. “But we do have a say in what we change the age of his anointment to. Abula mentioned that he would be called upon by his twentieth year, why not just change it to then."

Even Urbosa couldn’t hide her surprise at Tula’s words.

“You want our King to remain unrecognised for twenty years?” Onumu's voice held the same incredulous lilt that most of the Elite felt. “I hardly think the Triune will look kindly upon that."

“Tula,” Sheena looked down the table to the tactician, a heavy furrow in her brow. “Surely you can hear how outlandish this sounds.”

Urbosa let her fingers patter against the armrest of the throne as she listened to the arguments of her Elites. She respected the thoughts of the longstanding Tactician but she agreed with Onumu and Sheena, it didn’t seem right to wait twenty years when a King was usually anointed at birth.

“If I may,” the table grew silent as Karlee spoke. “Maybe we have not fully recognised the potential of delaying the anointment for this duration.”

Many of the table traded confused glances as they pondered Karlee’s words, but no one offered forward any thoughts.

“Then please,” Onumu broke through the silence. “Would you care to enlighten us to one of these possibilities?”

“Well, is one of the issues not the Hylian’s public opinion of the Gerudo?” she started. “Twenty years would give a sufficient amount of time for this to change.”

“As long as King Rhoam rules the Hylian’s opinion of us will remain twisted,” Tula pointed out. “With no current heir it is likely that he will still be in power in twenty years.”

Although Tula had stopped Karlee’s suggestion in its tracks it had managed to spark something in Urbosa’s mind. She straightened in her throne, capturing the attention of the entire table without saying a word. 

“Then we change King Rhoam’s mind,” Urbosa said, a grin slowly spreading on her lips. “We prove to him that the King of the Gerudo is not inherently evil, that he can be both King and Hero. If we raise the voe well, to be true and just as the Triune wanted him to be, then by his twentieth year surely his very nature would prove King Rhoam’s lies wrong.”

Muttering broke out amongst the table as the Elite dwelled on Urbosa’s words, all except for Abula, who grinned at Urbosa over the top of everyone’s heads. Like she had known that it would go this way from the start.

"The Hylians could hardly object to a King that has already saved them," Abula said with a proud nod.

“At the very least,” Karlee mused. “With twenty years to prepare, if King Rhoam still refused reason then we would be well equipped to take on anything the Hylian army threw at us.”

“It would be wise to still be prepared,” Sheena agreed. “But I think that the Chieftain may be right. Tamaka and Abula both said that this King is a chance for us to find redemption, maybe this is the path to it.”

Quiet murmuring of agreement spread across the table, growing in enthusiasm as they went. Urbosa couldn't help but let her eyes wander to Emin, the healer's mouth turned in a resigned frown as her eyes fell to her hands clutched tightly in her lap.

“Do the Elite agree then, to change the Gerudo Law that decrees that a King is anointed at birth?” Urbosa paused as five ‘aye’s echoed from the table in unison. It took a moment longer than the rest but Emin's voice eventually followed in agreement. “And that the age of the King’s anointment will be changed to his twentieth year.” Another round of ‘aye’s echoed through the room and Urbosa grinned triumphantly. “It is agreed. Well then my sisters, it looks like we have a Prince to raise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay everyone! This chapter was unfortunately very difficult to edit and write but hopefully the rest will come easier!!
> 
> I also just wanted to thank everyone for your support for the first chapter- whenever I was struggling to write during NaNo I reread all the messages I received and it inspired me to continue!! So thank you <3


	3. A Royal Procession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link's a little older, but not so much wiser.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gerudo language translation guide (Including some terms I've made up)
> 
> Sav’otta: Good morning  
Sav’aaq: Good day  
Sav’orq: Goodbye  
Sarqso: Thank you  
Sav’oor: Goodnight  
Sav’saaba: Good evening  
Vasaaq: Hello  
Vaba: Grandmother  
Vai: Woman  
Voe: Man  
Vehvi: Child  
Sa’oten: Good heavens  
Avvore: Fool  
Is’sahr: I’m sorry  
Aavarh: Good luck

Urbosa's proclamation of the birth of a new King was met with great reluctance. The Gerudo’s memory may not have been as long as that of the Zora, or as storied as the Hylians, but even they couldn’t forget how the last King had ruled over the Gerudo with an iron fist. His tyranny had seemed never ending until his plans to conquer all of Hyrule were stopped by the Golden Princess and the Hero of Legend.

But Urbosa was the goddess-chosen Chieftain and, with the Elite backing her, most of the Gerudo agreed that their only choice was to raise their new King to the best of their ability. 

But not all.

Two weeks after Link's birth, Urbosa was awoken during the night. As she laid in her bed she couldn't quite figure out what had roused her from her slumber. It was a still night and she couldn't hear anything unusual, but there was an air of urgency thrumming in her veins and a sense of panic quickened her breath.

Without a moment of hesitation she swung herself out of bed and left her room. Her bare feet padded silently against the stone floor of the Palace as she headed down the corridor. As she passed through the Throne Room she received a few curious glances from the guards stationed by the main entrance, but none were so bold as to question their Chieftain as to why she was wandering the halls in her night clothes at this hour.

Urbosa, in turn, ignored them and continued to follow the feeling in her gut, a feeling that she was beginning to suspect was more of a guiding hand from above. As she reached the small doorway on the far side of the Throne Room she realized that she had no need to follow the mysterious feeling anymore. There was only one room of importance through there.

Her urgency transforming into fear, Urbosa pushed herself off the archway and took the stairs three at a time. As she reached the second floor her eyes immediately landed on the sprawled, bloodied figure of a guard not two feet from the stairs, the woman's arms outstretched as if she had attempted to crawl towards them. To warn someone.

Urbosa snapped her attention back to the room that she had been guarding. A room with only a single precious thing inside.

Urbosa darted through the doorway, lunging forwards with a fierce cry as she spotted a cloaked assailant in the centre of the room, hovering over the only crib in the Palace.

She latched onto the arm of the figure before bringing it down over her knee with a sharp crack. The woman cried out and released the knife in her hand before stumbling back in an attempt to escape from Urbosa's wrath, but Urbosa still had her arm.

With a hard yank Urbosa pulled the woman back to her, causing another cry of pain to erupt from the woman and for the hood of her cloak to fall back. As she stumbled back in front of Urbosa the Chieftain simply pushed the woman's head down and elbowed her at the base of her skull. She fell, her eyes rolling back into her head, and Urbosa stood over the prone form of the woman. 

It was Tella, a quiet but proud jewel smith that traded from her stall in Market Square. The woman was a few years Urbosa's senior but even as children she could never best Urbosa in a fight.

And tonight she had murdered one of her sisters and attempted to assassinate a baby.

A high pitched wailing brought Urbosa back to herself. She stepped over the body on the floor and towards the crib even as the clang of armor and the clatter of footsteps raced up the stairs. Peering over the edge of the crib, Urbosa let out a sigh of relief as Link's scrunched up face came into view. She reached into the crib and gently lifted him out, careful to feel his stomach and side for any sign of injury but quickly decided that he was unharmed, just unhappy to be disturbed from his slumber.

The clattering stopped.

"Chieftain," a voice spoke from the doorway, an impressive amount of alarm packed into a single word. "What- What happened?"

With the flood of relief that had washed over her at the sight of her unharmed Prince, Urbosa had no room for any emotion other than exhaustion. She turned to the young guard that spoke, spotting three others hovering behind her and watched their wide eyes take in the horror of the scene before them. They were all young, likely saddled with night duty as a disciplinary measure. That would have to change.

"There has been an attempt on our future King's life," Urbosa said. "I will need two of you to lock up the would-be assassin and for one of you wake the Captain of the Guard."

The three guards hovering in the back nodded once before saluting sharply, one of them rushing off to find Sheena, the other two stepping into the room and lifting Tella off the floor. Once the three of them had left the single guard left shifted uncomfortably.

"And me?" She asked.

Urbosa sighed, the last of the adrenaline leaving her system and leaving her body feeling heavy. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

"Would you please grab the crib," Urbosa said and began the walk back to her room. "The Prince will be staying with me tonight."

After a long conversation with Sheena, and an even longer meeting with the Elite the next morning, it was decided that the Gerudo people would be given a choice. 

Recognise their future King or leave Gerudo Town without a backwards glance.

It tore at her heart to watch the handful of Gerudo leave, but it hurt most of all to see Emin, one of her trusted Elite, step down from beside her and leave with them.

But she swallowed her tongue and allowed them the one virtue that the Gerudo hadn’t been denied since the rule of the Bane. Their freedom to choose.

But that was far from solving all of Urbosa’s problems. Even those that had agreed to raising the future King treated him with suspicion, as if he were a wild animal that could turn on them at any moment. It took weeks for the Gerudo to see him as anything but a threat, but they gradually began to care for him, cherishing him as every child of the Gerudo was. By the time he could totter around Market Square Link had everyone wrapped around his finger with his wide blue eyes and unusual reddish blonde hair.

As the years passed, Link grew into what Urbosa would one day describe as a kind hearted but altogether far too mischievous child. Running amok through the town, completely unaware of the conflict over his birth, he wasn’t yet old enough to understand his own significance. Instead, Link just did what children did best.

He grew.

Urbosa sighed and focused on placing one foot in front of the other. The usual short walk from the Gerudo Palace to the eastern edge of Gerudo Town had been made much, much longer by the presence of her young King.

"Please Urbosa," Link pleaded as he dug his heels into the sand, tugging fruitlessly at the grip she held on his wrist. "I promise I'll be good! She won't even know I'm there!"

Urbosa sighed, the weight of Link's struggling pulling on her shoulder and exhausting her patience, and stopped in the middle of the path. She took a moment to kneel down, making sure to hold Link still by his shoulders so he wouldn’t run away, but she didn’t even get a chance to say a word before Link erupted with even more complaints.

“It’s not fair, why does everyone else get to go and I have to stay in the nursery!” His bottom lip pushed into a pout and his feet stomped on the ground as his grumpy attitude transformed into a sulky one. “Even Lauree gets to go see the Queen.”

Urbosa sighed and gazed down at the boy sympathetically. “Link-”

“I’ll be good,” he insisted, cutting her off again as he beseeched her with wide eyes. “I won’t fight with Imara and I’ll clean my room and I’ll- I’ll even feed all the Sand Seals!”

Link finished his declaration by throwing up his hands, a near confident expression creeping onto his face, but Urbosa only cocked an eyebrow and smirked.

“And, if I let you go, will you stop sneaking out of the nursery?” she asked.

Link’s face froze and his arms began to fall back down to his side. “Um…”

Urbosa snorted and stood back up, her hand holding on tight to Link’s wrist. “In that case, no deal.”

“No. No. No, no, no!” Link repeated and tried to dig his heels into the sand even as he was pulled forwards by Urbosa. “I’ll do it. I won’t sneak out.”

“Too late,” Urbosa said, sparing only a small glance back at him. “Deal’s over and you’re spending the day with Jamissa.”

Link’s chest puffed out and for a moment Urbosa feared that he was about to regress back to the screaming days of his toddler-hood, but he just let out a large sigh and kicked his feet against the sand as he walked. 

Urbosa felt her heart lurch as she glimpsed his disheartened expression, she almost would have preferred the screaming to the guilt trip that she now had to face, but she was the goddess chosen Chieftain of the Gerudo. The pout of a seven year old would not sway her.

“D-Did I do something wrong?”

Urbosa’s heart fell to the pit on her stomach.

“Oh, Link, no.” Urbosa dropped to her knees and pulled him into a hug, Link’s small body filling her arms and his head cradled perfectly in the curve of her neck. “You haven’t done anything wrong. And you will meet the Queen one day, but only once you’re older.”

Urbosa could feel Link’s small hands clench against her back as he nodded against her shoulder. After a few moments Urbosa pulled back and pressed her palm against his cheek.

“But, for now, I need you to be good for Jamissa, okay?”

Link’s mouth furrowed into an even deeper pout as he swung his arms behind his back and rocked on his heels.

“Okay,” he sighed. 

Urbosa wanted to laugh at his ability to make it sound like that simply behaving was the most difficult of compromises but she managed to keep a straight face as she pushed herself back to her feet.

“Thank you, little Prince. Now, come on.” Urbosa held her hand out to him. “We wouldn’t want to keep Jamissa waiting.” 

Link took her hand without complaint as they continued down the path, the fingers on his other hand uncrossing as it swung by his side.

Link knew that Jamissa wasn’t pleased to see him. He watched as she spoke to Urbosa, nodding along to everything the Chieftain was saying, but she was doing that thing with her hands where she squeezed her fingers. She only did that when she was unhappy about something.

“You’re staying with Sheena and Imara tonight.” Link’s head jerked up as he realized that Urbosa was speaking to him. 

He nodded. Imara got grumpy when he had to stay over because she didn’t like sharing her room, but he stuffed his pockets with dried voltfruit this morning so he’d try bribing her with that.

“So Sheena will be picking you up,” Urbosa continued, the direct eye contact she maintained with Link making him uncomfortable, it gave him the impression that she could see his thoughts. 

Just don’t think anything bad.

“And if you misbehave then Sheena will be the one who finds out first.”

Link tried to decide if that was better or worse than Urbosa finding out first and ended up just nodding like he was taking her very seriously. Probably better, he decided, Sheena tended to get too distracted by Imara to be mad at him for long.

Urbosa smiled and turned back to Jamissa. “Sarqso Jamissa, it won’t be for much longer, he’ll be eight in a few weeks.”

Jamissa choked on a half laugh, half sigh. “Don’t worry Chieftain, I’m counting down the days.” She turned her gaze on Link. “Come on, my Prince. You can help me look after Rua.”

Link sighed, his mouth scrunching up into a pout. He looked up at Urbosa, his eyes pleading one last time, but she just quirked her lips and bent down to press a kiss to the crown of his head.

“Have fun, little Prince.”

“I won’t,” he mumbled, but followed Jamissa into the nursery anyway.

Half an hour into his imprisonment in the nursery Jamissa had left him with Rua. Rua was two years old and her greatest form of enjoyment came from wheeling around a small cart and placing toys in it, only to then throw them all over the room and start again.

Link dodged a rubber ball as it ricocheted off the wall behind him and it was at this point that Link decided that he had fulfilled his promise to Urbosa for long enough. He had been good, but he didn’t say that he wouldn’t be bad at any point. 

Link turned to the toddler that had begun to fill her cart full of toys once again. “Hey Rua! Do you wanna play a game?”

Jamissa returned to the room with a bowl laden with cut up fruit, humming quietly to herself as she popped it down on the small table.

“Link, Rua!” she called out. “I have snacks.”

Giggling came from inside one of the toy boxes and Jamissa wandered over curiously.

“Rua?” she asked, a small smile on her lips. “Is that little Rua I hear-”

Rua jumped from the toy box with a squeal, the toys that had been placed to cover her flying everywhere. Jamissa laughed at the sight and lifted the young girl into her arms.

“And what were you doing in there?” she asked, tickling Rua on her stomach. “Are you playing hide and seek with Link?”

Rua squealed again and tried to squirm away from Jamissia’s fingers, her head shaking adamantly. “Nah-uh! Playing dis-ratt-ion!”

Jamissa blinked, staring blankly at Rua. “Dis-ratt-ion?”

A door slammed. Jamissa felt her heart stop. 

“Rua, honey,” Jamissa said as she put Rua back down. “How about you wait here and have a snack- there’s lychees.”

A wide grin spread across Rua’s face and she raced over to the fruit bowl. In a similar manner, and yet altogether completely different, horror dawned on Jamissa as she crossed the room in two bounds and yanked open the front door.

The street leading to the house was empty, save for the glimpse of Link as he raced around the corner. Outrage swelled in her chest.

“Enjoy your time in the sun, Prince. The Chieftain is going to ground you so hard you forget what it looks like!” She yelled into the empty street, she went to close her door in a huff but instead spun back to the street. “I can’t believe you used my own daughter as a distraction!!”

Jamissa slammed the door and pressed her hands over her mouth, screaming nothing into them. She held them there a moment longer before releasing a pent up breath and turning back to her daughter, who already had a generous smear of fruit juice around her lips. 

“Rua, do you want to go for a walk?”

Link whooped as his feet pelted down the back streets of Gerudo Town. He’d heard Jamissa yelling after him, and he knew that she would go straight to one of the Elite to tattle on him but until they found him he was free. Free of that stupid nursey and free to see the Queen. The thought alone made Link’s heart race. He’d get to see a Queen, a real Queen. A grin stretched across his face before quickly falling away. Link forced himself to stop in the middle of the road, his teeth chewing at his lip as a troubling thought overtook him.

How could he see her without getting caught?

The Queen was being escorted straight from the northern gate to the Palace, so there wasn’t an awful long amount of time to see her. He couldn’t go to the main street, it was lined with Gerudo and all of them knew that he was supposed to be in the nursery, he’d be captured in an instant. And he couldn’t go to the Palace because the entirety of the Elite were there and he wouldn’t just be captured if they found him.

Link crossed his arms and tried to think. He could try to hide at the back of the crowd but then he wouldn’t be able to see the Queen at all and that would defeat the entire point. But if he could manage to be taller than everyone…

Link’s gaze snapped upwards as a smile returned to his face. Yeah, that would work.

A few minutes later found Link climbing up the side of one of the homes just two rows back from the main street. He gritted his teeth as the tips of his toes scraped along the sandstone wall but he was too pleased to be anything more than irritated by the graze. Once he’d realized that the rooftops would be the perfect place to catch a glimpse of the Queen he knew exactly where he needed to go. 

Link grunted as his fingers finally curled over the lip of the house. It took only a moment then to pull himself up over the top, his feet scrambling to give himself the purchase he needed to throw himself onto the roof. Air exploded from his mouth as he hit the rooftop and rolled onto his back. It hurt, but he couldn’t bring himself to dwell on it for too long, feeling far too pleased with himself as he grinned up at the bright blue sky.

A bright blue sky that was immediately blotted out by too much hair and a shocked expression.

“Link?!”

Link slapped his hands over her mouth and let a shushing noise slip through his teeth.

“Imara,” he hissed. “Do you want everyone to know that I’m here?”

With his hands covering her mouth Imara couldn’t respond but she made her displeasure known well enough as she scrunched up her nose and then ran her tongue over Link’s palms.

Link yelped loud enough to alert anyone that would have been nearby and snatched his hands back to his chest, taking care to rub them vigorously against his pants

“Why are you so gross?” he muttered as he pushed Imara away and sat up.

“Why are you here?” she retorted. “Mum said that you had to stay at the nursery today.”

Link grinned, fidgeting with excitement. “I snuck out.”

Imara snorted.

“Without my help? You’re gonna get grounded for life,” she said, sounding slightly too pleased by the idea for Link’s taste.

“They can’t ground me forever, I’m gonna be King one day.”

“I’m sure you’ll hold onto that when you’re locked in your room for the next million years.”

Link sighed and flopped back on the rooftop. The stone was nice and warm from the morning heat without being blistering and Jamissa had told him to enjoy his time in the sun, hadn’t she?

“I snuck out so I could see the Queen,” he said, then frowned, rolling his head to look at Imara. “I thought you didn’t care about seeing the Queen? I thought you said that you were gonna train all day today?”

Imara’s shoulders stiffened, her face frozen in her carefully crafted look of indifference. Link didn’t even give her a chance to explain herself.

“You actually wanted to see the Queen,” he said, his grin widening as he pushed himself up on one arm. “You came here so you could watch the parade!”

Imara sniffed and snapped her head away from Link, proving him indisputably right. He nearly got a laugh out too before Imara stood up and walked away.

“Imara?” Link scrambled to his feet and trotted after her as she walked to the edge of the roof. “Where are you- I think it’s cool that you wanna see the Queen!”

Imara didn’t seem to take notice of him, only stopping to sit once she had reached the far corner of the roof. Link paused for a moment before stubbornly setting his jaw and marching over to sit next to her. The two of them remained in silence for a few moments before Link grew bored and broke it.

“I wanna see the Queen, I think she’s gonna be awesome,” he said.

Imara didn’t appear to have anything to say to that, leaving Link to anxiously pull his legs to his chest and rest his chin on his knees. She just stared down at her legs swinging off the edge of the building.

Then she let out a single sigh.

“I just wanna know why everyone’s so excited to see her,” Imara muttered. “My mum has been talking about her all week, and it’s the only thing anyone mentions in Market Square, and even you.” She snorted. “She’s just a Hylian. I don’t understand what the fuss is about.”

Link chewed on the inside of his cheek. It was true, the entirety of Gerudo Town had been buzzing with the news since the Queen had announced that she was making the trip to the western reaches of Hyrule. He also knew that Urbosa had been looking forward to the Queen’s visit, even if she wouldn’t talk to him about it after telling him that he wouldn’t be allowed to see her. It was confusing and frustrating and he wasn’t sure why everyone else was so excited for her arrival but he…

“I want to see her because she’s a Queen,” Link said, taking the time to think each word he said through before he said them, just like Urbosa had taught him to for important meetings. “And one day I’m going to be a King. Urbosa says that she’s a just and wise Queen and I want to be like that one day.” He nodded to himself before finally turning back to Imara, her brow furrowed as she listened to him. “So, I figure that if I can meet her then she can tell me how to be like that.”

Imarat snorted, a smile finally creeping onto her face. “I don’t think you’re gonna get to ask her any questions from up here.”

Link pouted and kicked his legs back out over the edge of the roof. “At least I’ll know what she looks like.”

“Yeah, a speck of blonde hair surrounded by a million guards.”

Link just let out a groan and shoved Imara with his shoulder, sending her rocking as she laughed at him. Her laughter echoed louder than it usually would in the bustling streets of Gerudo Town and Link found himself frowning as he turned his gaze back to the main road. For the first time that Link could recall a hush had fallen over the town, all the way from the northern entrance up to the Palace stairs.

He froze. This was it. This was the moment he would finally get to see the Queen.

Imara’s laughter faded beside him as she followed his gaze. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her mouth open, likely to poke fun at him again with being so enamored by the idea of the Queen, but then a blonde bob of hair came into view and she fell silent.

Imara had been right, from where the two of them were sitting Link could barely see the Queen, she looked like a doll held in front of him. Big enough to see but much too far away to hear what she was saying- but she was saying things. As she walked down the main road, flanked by female Hylian guards on all sides, she stopped and spoke with the Gerudo that lined the street. And they seemed to love it. Love her.

The faint echoes of laughter reached Link’s ears as the Queen paused by a woman on the near side of the road and it was only then that Link got a chance to see her face. She was very beautiful, that much he knew, but her smile seemed to fill the very air around her with light. Her brow furrowed with concern as she spoke with the woman and, although he couldn’t quite see from their rooftop perch, he imagined that her eyes were kind as she listened to her response.

Is this what good rulers did? Is this what he should do?

“Is she what you imagined?” Imara’s murmured words broke through Link’s daze.

“I- I think she’s more,” he whispered back, as if loud words would break the spell she had woven over the entirety of Gerudo Town. “More than I could have imagined.”

Imara frowned and Link was sure she would’ve had something mean to say but Link’s arm shot forward to push Imara’s shoulder slightly back. He had seen something, he was sure-

A girl, in the middle of the road, smaller than even him. She wore a pretty dress of white and blue and she walked down the main street holding on to the hand of the Queen. If that picture hadn’t been enough to tell Link who she was then the matching golden hair gave it away.

“The Princess?” Imara breathed next to him. “I didn’t think she was coming.”

Link turned to Imara. “You knew about her?”

Imara shot Link an expression that told him exactly how stupid she thought he was. “Of course. She’s the Princess of Hyrule- How could you not know about her?”

Link thought back to all the times he had asked Urbosa when he would get to meet Kings and Queens, all the times she had told him that he would meet them when he was older. Maybe he hadn’t been asking the right questions.

Link curled his fingers against his lap and shook his head, focusing his eyes back on the road. The Princess didn’t seem very comfortable amongst the crowd. She walked a step behind the Queen being led by her right hand, her other clutched close to her chest, and she watched silently as the Queen spoke animatedly with the Gerudo.

A part of Link, a part that he wouldn’t understand or even know of for a long time to come, breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t alone.

“Whoop, and it looks like that’s over.” Imara let out a snort. “I don’t know, I still don’t get it.”

Link’s head shot up as it whipped around to Imara. “What?”

“The procession’s over,” Imara said, rolling her eyes as she spoke. “Look, the guards are moving on.”

Even as Imara explained Link could see the guards begin to proceed further down the main street, heading towards Market Square and inevitably into the Palace. One of the guards approached the Queen and stopped just short of her shoulder. She paused there for a few moments until the Queen finished speaking to one of the Gerudo and turned to her. The guard gestured further down the road and, just like that, just like Imara said, the procession was over.

Link scrambled to his feet, his eyes straining to follow the Queen and the Princess as they walked down the road. As they vanished behind a building Link shot over to the edge of the rooftop, but he only managed to catch one last glimpse of the Princess’s light blue dress before the pair were gone from his view completely.

His shoulders crumpled as his gaze remained on the slowly emptying main street, the Gerudo heading back to the tasks that had been abandoned for a chance to see the Queen of Hyrule. He remained standing there for a few moments, his teeth digging into his lower lip, until he heard shifting behind him. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of Imara pushing herself to her feet, a frown on her face that made him uncomfortable. He pretended that he hadn’t seen her as she walked over, stopping just behind him.

She was silent for a moment.

“Okay, why is this really so important to you?” She asked. “And tell the truth this time- I know you don’t actually want royalty advice from her.”

Link puffed up his chest, holding his breath till it made his lungs feel like they were going to pop, then he let it all out in a rush. But instead of turning to face Imara he hopped down from the edge of the roof onto the stack of crates that leant against the wall of the building.

“Link!” Imara yelled, following him down with a loud thump, but Link kept walking. 

She didn’t call his name again, instead just grabbing him by the upper arm and holding him still even as he tried to pull himself free. After a few attempts at prying her fingers off him that ended in failure he sighed and let his gaze wander to anywhere but her face.

“I just…” Link mumbled and Imara had to strain slightly to hear his words. “I never get to see anyone from outside the town.”

She groaned and rubbed her hands over her face, letting go of his arm as she turned away from him. “You didn’t stay where the Chieftain told you to, you ditched Jamissa, because you wanted to see someone new?”

Link crossed his arms over his chest and ducked his head in an attempt to hide the growing blush on his brown skin.

“Yeah, so what?” he grumbled, rubbing at his now tender upper arm. “You’d get in more trouble than me if Urbosa found us!”

“I would not!” Imara whirled on Link, the heavy gold jewelry that adorned her braid nearly hitting him as it swung past his face. “You’re the Prince, you’d be grounded forever! And I’m not the one running away from the nursery.”

“But you’re ten,” Link pointed out, a pleased smile finding its way onto his face. “And I’m only nearly eight, so you’d get in trouble for not taking me back.”

Imara scowled, the anger causing a red flush to tint the edges of her dark brown ears. “You’ll be eight soon and then I’m gonna get to beat you in the training ring.”

“Not if I beat you first!”

“Alright vhevi, how about we test that out in a month?”

Link and Imara both froze at the voice, their eyes trained on each other as they dared the other to move first. Link eventually caved, leaning sideways so he could peer around Imara’s shoulders. Jamissa stood in the mouth of the alleway, her hands on her hips and her lips in a thin line. He didn’t waste a moment.

“Run!” Link yelled, startling Imara into action.

Link attempted to dart past Jamissa but, with almost effortless grace, she reached out and grabbed the collar of his shirt.

“Nice try, Prince, but your legs are too short to escape me,” Jamissa said as she yanked him backwards and into a headlock. “Imara, get down or we’ll be having words with your mother tonight.”

Link had to shift his entire body so he could twist his head enough to watch Imara jump down from the second crate, a pleading expression in her eyes.

“Please don’t tell mama, please Jamissa!” 

Jamissa sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose with her spare hand. “I won’t, but, by the Triune, if you try to break Link out of the nursery again-”

“She won’t have to!” Link shouted and wiggled enough that Jamissa had to let him out of the headlock, even if she still had a tight grip on his wrist. “I’ll be eight in a month and then you can’t keep me in the nursery anymore!”

Jamissa sighed and with a single tug pulled him closer and then lifted him in a one arm carry under her armpit.

“And then you’ll be Sheena and Onumu’s problem, bless Din,” Jamissa turned her gaze onto Link. “You had best give them as much trouble as you’ve given me, otherwise I’ll get into the training ring myself.”

Jamissa looked up at the wide clear sky above Gerudo Town and squinted at the sun’s position, ignoring Link’s flailing legs with practised ease. “We should get back to the nursery before Sulal brings Rua back from the parade, and you,” Jamissa jabbed a finger in Imara’s direction. “You are late to class, so if you don’t want your mother finding out-”

“Thank you Jamissa!” Imara grinned widely and quickly bobbed her head. “I won’t tell anyone, promise!”

Imara dashed past Link and Jamissa, disappearing down the dusty street before Jamissa even had a chance to finish her threat. Jamissa hummed and looked down at the back of Link’s head.

“You could’ve been friends with any of the vhevi in town,” she said. “And you picked Imara?”

“Imara’s fun,” he said petulantly, his voice muffled by his chest as he hung, head heavy and arms stretched towards the ground. “Everyone else is too scared of Urbosa and Sheena to have fun with me.”

Jamissa rolled her eyes at Link’s attempt to be a dead weight and tossed him lightly in her arms so he sat upright, leant against her shoulder.

“I don’t know, my Prince,” Jamissa said as she turned out of the alley and began walking down the street. “She’s a bit too ready to abandon you each time you get caught.”

Link sat quietly for a bit as Jamissa walked, thinking over her words. Jamissa was thankful for the moment of quiet, sure that she wouldn’t get much more of it once she returned to the nursery.

“That’s because we’re at home though.”

Jamissa glanced at Link and hummed, urging him to continue.

“Cause if we were outside Gerudo Town, if we were fighting pirates or a moblin, I don’t think that she would leave me,” Link nodded to himself, happy with his thought. “Yeah, she just knows that I won’t be in trouble with you.”

Jamissa laughed. “Oh no, you’re in trouble, don’t you worry about that.”

Link whined and started struggling again but couldn’t escape Jamissa’s firm grip on his legs. Jamissa shook her head and tossed Link over her shoulder, holding him there by the knees as his small hands beat uselessly against her back. As she approached the nursery at the end of the street she couldn’t help but think about Link's faith in Imara. She herself wasn’t so sure of the young girl’s reliability but if their future King saw something in her, well…

Well, she wouldn’t blab to the girl’s mother at the very least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so now that everyone understands that my uploading schedule is honestly nonexistent, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! I found this one quite difficult to finish but we are finally here and I can now move on to the next chapter (yay)
> 
> I also hope that everyone is doing okay in these difficult times and maybe, just maybe, seeing this update notification in your emails brought you a little bit of happiness.
> 
> I wish you all the best <3 Until next time!


	4. A Gerudo Grounding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The years continue on and Link is STILL getting into trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gerudo language translation guide (Including some terms I've made up)
> 
> Sav’otta: Good morning  
Sav’aaq: Good day  
Sav’orq: Goodbye  
Sarqso: Thank you  
Sav’oor: Goodnight  
Sav’saaba: Good evening  
Vasaaq: Hello  
Vaba: Grandmother  
Vai: Woman  
Voe: Man  
Vehvi: Child  
Sa’oten: Good heavens  
Avvore: Fool  
Is’sahr: I’m sorry  
Aavarh: Good luck

Link slumped against the wall, running a hand over his eyes as he let a sigh slip between his lips. It’d been half an hour since Sheena had deposited him and Imara here with only a firm grip on his shoulder and a curt, “Wait here.” He knew better than to disobey that.

But it’d been a long half hour and he could feel himself begin to grow bored with every passing moment. He glanced to his left, to the door that stood between him and hell itself. There was no need to strain to hear what was going on behind there, the voices of the Elite ringing through quite clearly for a change. It was the first time he wished he didn’t know what they were saying.

He let his eyes wander over to Imara. She leant against the opposite wall but, even as he let his gaze bore into her, her eyes remained firmly fixed on a spot just above his head. She looked… better than he did to be very honest, although that wasn’t saying much. Her thick braid, usually impeccably laced with golden rings and jewels, hung loose and ragged with the bright red of it nearly completely hidden beneath the brown desert sand. Lacerations covered her right shoulder and a violent graze marred the entire side of her right thigh which was only visible through the tattered remains of her skirt.

Sheena hadn’t even given them a chance to change.

Link sighed again, only growing more agitated when the noise did nothing to draw Imara’s attention. He ran a hand through his loose hair, scrunching up his eyes as sand rained down on his cheeks and getting stuck on his veil. He shook his head to get rid of the last few grains and took a breath.

“What do you think they’re gonna do?”

Imara’s angry gaze snapped straight to his eyes and Link immediately regretted this choice of action.

“I think you’re going to be locked in your room until you’re an old man and I’ll be dead before my mother trusts me to run anything but the morning rotation of the wall watch.”

Link stopped a wince before it could appear on his face, instead setting his jaw and matching her frown.

“I would’ve been fine-”

The rage in Imara’s eyes bubbled over to the point that she made to reach for him before checking herself and instead pressing her fists to her lips. Link was pretty sure she’d been about to strangle him.

“If you say that one more time, my Prince, I will kick you so hard that the royal line ends with you.”

Any normal person would swallow their words. Any normal person would’ve been suitably intimidated by her glare, her manner, her reputation, and would’ve stopped. Unfortunately Link had been friends with Imara for too long to be normal.

Anger flared to life in Link’s chest. “I would’ve! It was your yelling that attracted the-”

“My yelling?! You were about to stroll straight through its territory! A Sand Seal would’ve lasted longer in there than you because at least it would’ve been smart enough to run-”

“I had my scimitars-”

Imara’s arms snapped down to her sides, her fists tightening as her voice only grew louder. “This is exactly what I mean! Have you even looked at yourself- you nearly died!”

“You nearly died!”

“That’s why I’m angry!”

Link didn’t have a chance to respond and, if he’d been clear of mind, he would’ve been glad of it. Instead the creaking of the door that interrupted his retort sent his blood cold. Imara had snapped to attention, only a member of the guard for two months and already perfect under the gaze of her superiors, as Sheena stepped out. 

She was silent as she looked over the two of them. Her eyes took in the clenched fists and tight jaws but she had nothing to say, only beckoning them into the room with a simple jerk of her head. Link stepped forward, knowing that hesitation would only make this worse, and followed Sheena into the Throne Room with Imara only a step behind him. The sight that greeted him did not raise his hopes that he was going to receive just a slap on the wrist.

The Elite had forgone a table for this meeting, instead presenting a united front as they lined themselves beside Urbosa’s throne. Tula, Karlee and Deru, the newest member of the Elite, stood on Urbosa’s left with Onumu and Abula waiting on her right. Urbosa herself occupied the throne, one leg tossed carelessly over the other knee and her hands laced by her stomach. Although the look on her face appeared neutral, Link had spied on too many meetings to believe that it reflected how she truly felt. He couldn’t help but note that this was how the Elite usually stood when addressing Gerudo Town about a decree, or for a festival. 

And now perhaps a public execution too. 

Link stopped just before the stairs as Sheena continued to stand by Urbosa’s right hand. He hesitated for a moment before deciding that he couldn’t possibly make this situation any worse and offered a Gerudo bow; knocking his right fist over his heart and inclining his head.

“Do you really think that sucking up is going to make this any better for you?”

Right. He’d made it worse.

“No, Chieftain, uh, that wasn’t my intention,” Link lied.

“Good,” she said, her words short and clipped and completely absent of her usual fond nicknames with her warm voice. “Now, if you would stop looking at the floor then we can begin discussing what happened this morning.”

Lifting his eyes felt like hefting a Goron over his head but Link managed it for fear of what would happen if he didn’t. The sharp glares of the Elite and the outright scowl on Tula’s face reminded him of why he had opted for the floor originally.

“Now, my Prince.” He would really appreciate it if everyone would stop saying his title like a slur today. “Would you care to explain what you were doing to the east of Kara Kara Bazaar this morning?”

The exact location. Urbosa was going to have him drawn and quartered.

“I-”

Urbosa was quick to cut off what would’ve been a poorly thought out excuse. “Please understand, my Prince, that I already know the answer to this question.”

Link tried to think of a way to phrase his adventures this morning in a way that wouldn’t have him boiled alive but his mind decided that this would be the perfect time to go blank. His eyes darted between the displeased faces of the Elite as he struggled not to fidget.

“I wanted to assist in creating better relations between the Gerudo and-”

“Imara,” Urbosa barked.

Although Link was wiser than to turn to look at his friend, he could still hear the clang of metal against metal as she bowed.

“Chieftain, I believe that the Prince was intending to venture into Central Hyrule,” she answered, sounding like she was simply reporting mundane day-to-day activities instead of betraying her oldest friend and future King. “I caught sight of him while I was on the night watch and followed after him with the intention to bring him back.”

Heat flooded Link’s cheeks as he spun on Imara.

“Imara,” he hissed her name. “What are you-”

“I’m not taking the fall because you’re a reckless avvore,” she snapped back.

“Silence,” Urbosa’s voice echoed throughout the room without the barest hint of effort.

Imara snapped back to attention and Link reluctantly turned back to Urbosa. He resisted the urge to cross his arms and sulk and instead did the exact opposite; straightening his back and squaring his shoulders as if he was preparing for a fight.

“Let me guess, you intended to go straight east from the Kara Kara Bazaar, bypassing the canyon completely, and, once you had crossed the highlands, head north east until you reached Hyrule Castle,” Urbosa said with her unflinching gaze resting on Link.

It was a struggle to look her in the face, let alone meet her eyes, and so Link settled for looking at her right shoulder as he let his hands fall loose and face what was coming for him.

“Once I crossed the highlands I had intended to await the diplomatic party at the canyon exit,” he corrected. “Then travel with them to Hyrule Castle.”

Link could hear a bark of anger erupt from one of the Elite, likely Tula, as the rest of them shifted uncomfortably. Urborsa, on the other hand, showed no reaction other than raising a single eyebrow. After a moment she brought her knuckles to her lips and leaned forward in her seat.

“Let me get this straight,” she said. “You thought that, in the event of the Gerudo’s one and only Prince going missing, that the diplomatic party would still meet with the Hylian Royal family.”

He had, but he wasn’t about to say that now, not when the idea sounded so foolish when spoken by someone else.

Urbosa slowly began to rise from her throne as she continued. “You didn’t consider that your disappearance would force the Elite to close the Gerudo borders, an act that would no doubt attract the attention of the other nations of Hyrule, especially when we refuse to let their citizens return home.” Urbosa was standing now but still she continued as she began to descend the stairs. “What do you think would have happened once our search parties found no trace of you within our lands?”

Link wanted to itch the skin off his body but settled for subtly scraping his nails against his palms. Urbosa hit the bottom of the stairs and his gaze darted to the floor.

“I- I would’ve come back-”

“You would have been dead, Link,” Urbosa snapped, her blank expression finally gone and replaced with pure unadulterated fury. “Do you not understand that you were attacked by a Molduga this morning? Do you understand how lucky you are that Imara broke protocol to save your Din damned life?!”

Urbosa had leant so close that Link didn’t even have the space to breathe, afraid that the rising of his chest would set her off again. Instead he was forced to stare into her green eyes, that he could’ve sworn crackled with lightning, and understand exactly how much he had messed up this time.

Just when Link thought he was going to pass out, Urbosa spun on her heel and stormed back up to the throne. By the time she had twisted around and sat back down she had reined in her anger and looked every bit the composed leader.

“The Elite has discussed your punishments,” she said, sharing a small glance with Sheena who returned the look with a nod. “Imara, as punishment for abandoning your post and failing to notify your superior of an irregularity during your watch you have been charged with assisting Onumu in providing additional combat training to the advanced students after school for the next month. To accommodate for this task you will be required to take the morning shift of the gate watch for the duration of the punishment.”

A fairly light punishment. Although it would involve early mornings and little to no free time for the next month it was hardly anything more than irritating. Likely because Imara’s actions, although needing punishment, had resulted in Link remaining alive. Link bit his tongue as Sheena’s cool gaze passed over him and landed on her daughter. Elite mandated punishment or not, Link knew that Imara would still receive the tongue lashing of a lifetime after this.

Then Urbosa turned to him.

“And, as for your punishment, my Prince.” Link cursed internally and braced for what was to come. “Each and every day you will attend school. After school has finished you will return back to the Palace. On weekends you will attend supplementary classes led by the members of the Elite on the different areas of governing and after these classes you will return back to the Palace.”

Link remained as still as stone, moving only once to nod. That seemed like a fair punishment.

But Urbosa wasn’t finished.

“When you return to the Palace you will be given a list of tasks,” she continued, the tilt of her head daring him to argue as Link slowly realized that this wasn’t over. “The tasks will be assigned by the Elite and every day you will complete every single task given to you.”

Link’s composure cracked. “Wait, how many tasks? How long will this go on for?!”

Urbosa looked unimpressed, as if she had hoped he would stay resolute as she added burden upon burden on him. With the smallest of twists to her lips she leaned back in her throne and laced her hands over her stomach.

“That is up to me.”

A week later found Link at one of his supplementary classes being thoroughly beaten into the ground under the stern gaze of Tula. He groaned as he tried to sit back up but the ache that ran through his abdominal muscles felt like fire beneath his skin. The sound of footsteps and clanking armor reached Link’s ears just before Tula’s long nose and slim ponytail came into view.

“Up,” Tula snapped as she hovered over him, arms crossed and forever unimpressed. “Again.”

She didn’t even wait for him to move, turning her back and walking away, leaving him to get to his feet on his own. Link hurt enough that he considered saying no, but refusing would likely just end with his face in the dirt instead of his ass. So up it was. He rolled his shoulders and had just gotten his hands beneath him when a third appeared in the middle of his vision. He raised his eyes to find Lauree, her arm outstretched and nodding at her hand for him to take it.

Lauree was fourteen years old; the only other person in Gerudo Town the same age as him. They had been friends over the years, had chatted and played together, but she always vanished when he and Imara decided that it was time to make trouble. She was straight-laced, the perfect student and an inevitable member of the Elite. At least, that’s what everyone said.

Lauree’s short curly hair bobbed around her jaw as she glanced at her hand again and shot Link a strained smile.

“Sarqso,” he mumbled as he reached out.

She clasped her fingers around his hand and heaved, pulling him to his feet in a single motion.

“No need, my Prince, if it weren’t for you I wouldn’t be getting any extra training,” she said, her smile growing slightly less strained and more-

Was Lauree blushing?

“Ahh, I don’t know if this counts as extra training,” Link said as his hand scratched at the back of his neck. “I’ve only got combat training for the morning and then Tula said she’s going to have me run theory drills.”

Lauree opened her mouth to respond but Tula’s sharp voice cut through before she had a chance.

“Lauree, overhead attacks this time.”

Link’s only warning was Lauree’s short nod before he was fumbling to get his spear above his head and her spear was colliding with the pole of his.

“Left!”

Link did his best to follow Tula’s new order as Lauree immediately changed the direction of her swings, the spear now spinning from around her back to collide with the pole held stiffly by Link’s side.

After two ineffective hits Link finally managed to get a proper grip on his spear just as Lauree went to jab at his side with the butt of her spear. With a sharp twist Link knocked it back and in the moment it took for her to recover he thought he saw a smirk form on her lips. She stepped forwards and attempted a strike towards his head but Link matched it and retaliated with two similar strikes that Lauree shook off without blinking. With Link now on the offensive the two traded blows for a few more moments, before Lauree stepped out of the way of an attempted overhead strike and slammed the side of her spear directly into his left side. Exactly where Tula had told her to.

Link left his breath where he’d been standing and hit the ground, again, his spear falling from his hands with a clatter. He blinked a few times and managed to lift his head from the ground before a throbbing pain began to radiate from his side. A muffled groan escaped his lips as he quickly hunched over, using his arms to cover the injury.

Two pairs of footsteps rushed over to his side and Tula’s frown quickly took up his vision, showing concern for once. Lauree appeared behind Tula, her spear clutched tightly in her hands, watching anxiously as Tula forcibly moved Link’s arms and began prodding at his side. Link hissed as she poked just slightly too close to where Lauree had hit and Tula sat back on her heels, finally giving him some space. Tula frowned at him, all concern gone, and let out an unimpressed sigh.

“He’s fine,” she said, turning her head to speak to Lauree as she stood back up. “It’s just going to bruise but I’ll have to grab some ointment to put on it anyway.” Tula looked down at Link, her arms on her hips. “Stay here, have a break, but you’re still doing the theory work after this.”

Link groaned, either at her words or the pain that was slowly receding to a dull ache, but Tula didn’t wait around to hear him complain, instead just leaving him in the dust. Lauree hovered for a moment, swaying on her feet as she tried to decide whether to follow Tula or stay, but then the moment passed and she remained.

“Uh, sorry, my Prince,” she said. “I probably should’ve pulled my blow.”

“Don’t,” Link groaned, and finally rolled onto his back so he could look up at her, a hand still pressed to his side. “If Tula catches you doing that then she’ll fight me herself. This might be extra training for you but this is a punishment for me.”

Lauree laughed, her cheeks flushing pink like they had before. “Um, this isn’t extra training for me.”

Confusion scrunched Link’s brow. “What? But before-”

“I wasn’t talking about this before,” she explained as she lowered herself to sit next to his inclined body and carefully laid her spear by her side. “I’ve been getting extra lessons after school, and now, thanks to you, I get to have them with Imara.”

“Ugh, I’m sorry about that.”

“Why would you be sorry? She’s only the daughter of the Captain of the Guard and a fighting prodigy.” Lauree leant forward as she spoke, her hands pressing into the sand. “I’m so honoured to have her teach me!”

Oh. Oh no.

Link gagged dramatically and pushed himself up into a sitting position so he could look Lauree in the eye. “Honoured? To be taught by Imara- please tell me you’re joking.”

Lauree’s cheeks still held a slight flush but her eyes narrowed into a glare as Link spoke.

“How could you be so disrespectful?! Did you hear about her Coming of Age Ceremony? She single-handedly took out an entire band of Lizalfos-”

“Of course I know, it was two months ago,” Link stressed. “I’ve known Imara since I was born and yet to see anything to be respectful about-”

“How about saving your life?”

Link recoiled, his face scrunching up into what he wanted to be a glare but likely looked more like a pout. The mention of last week’s incident still stung just a touch too much for him to be truly angry, not when he was so embarrassed about it. Lauree raised an eyebrow and leant back, waiting for him to come up with a retort. The problem was, she was right.

Link frowned, crossing his arms over his chest and looking down as the sand that laid between the two of them. He could understand what Lauree was trying to say, but something just wasn’t adding up.

“If you think Imara’s so cool, why didn’t you ever hang out with us?” Link asked.

Lauree’s shoulders jerked as her gaze darted down to her hands. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, like at school, at training.” Link gestured to the training ring they were sitting in as he spoke. “We’d speak and you’d always run away when she came over. She only graduated two months ago and, trust me, she hasn’t changed that much in that time.”

Lauree laughed, a choked sound that made Link squint at her in alarm. “Run- run away? I never- pfft, I never did that.” Lauree hesitated, her hand coming up to pinch at her lips as she thought. “Do you think that Imara thought I did that? That I ran away from her?”

Link sighed and stretched his arms behind his head. “Yeah, well, probably? I mean we talked about it every time it happened.”

A low moaning sound made Link look back to Lauree, only to find her face pressed into her hands as she whined into them. Link froze.

“Are- are you okay-”

“She thinks I hate her because I didn’t want to say something stupid in front of her!” Lauree cried out, far too loud for the open training ring. “Why do the Triune hate me?!”

Link reached out to grab Lauree’s shoulder then rethought it, hesitating half way. What was he even supposed to say- what was going on?

“She doesn’t hate you,” Link tried, hoping to pacify her. “She just thinks you don’t like her-”

Lauree’s hands slapped against her forehead as she leaned forward. “That’s worse.”

“Fine,” Link snapped, not sure what to do and definitely not following what was going on here. “What does it even matter what she thinks?!”

Lauree mumbled something that Link suspected he misheard. He hoped he misheard. He didn’t, it was just too disturbing to be true.

“You’re mistaken,” Link said, his eyes closing as he tried to make sense of this new reality. “You can’t like Imara. She’s-” Link waved his hands and curled his lip in disgust. “I’m warning you, choose anyone else at school but Imara.”

This time Lauree’s laugh was less choked and more unsure. “What do you mean? She’s strong, cool, pretty- what’s wrong with liking her?”

Link rolled his eyes. “She’s Imara.”

Lauree stared at him like he was crazy. “I know.”

Link racked his brain for the proper warnings, the proper words that would explain to Lauree why she had made a dumb mistake. He couldn’t describe it in words though. It was just a really big ‘no’ feeling. Finally it came to him and he lurched forward to grab hold of Lauree’s shoulder in triumph.

“She’s grumpy and she will steal all of your voltfruit.”

Lauree sighed and looked at Link like she was attempting to reevaluate every opinion she’d ever had of him. It was a gaze eerily similar to Imara’s ‘you’re so dumb, how did you learn to breathe’ look.

Well, maybe they were better suited for each other than he thought.

“See, you only think that because you’ve been friends with Imara since forever.” Lauree froze before a wide smile slowly grew on her face, hope igniting in her eyes. “Din’s fire, you’ve known her since forever- you can help me get her to like me!”

No.

“No,” Link said as he pulled away and vainly wished that he could disintegrate into sand. “That’s a terrible- no.”

“Please,” Lauree begged, leaning all the way into his face as she clasped her hands below her chin. “Please, come on. I’ll help you out- a favour, anything!”

Oh, that was tempting. Urbosa had tasked Link with reorganising the entire Records Room for tonight and Link knew that was less of a one night job and more a one week one. An extra set of hands that included Lauree’s brains would come in handy… He sighed and regretted every decision that had led to him agreeing to this.

“Okay, fine,” he said.

“Really?!” Lauree said, clapping like a Sand Seal for a slice of hydromelon.

“Yes-”

Link was cut off by a voice that echoed across all of Gerudo Town.

“My King!” Tula called out as she walked back into the ring. “I’m glad to see that you’re sitting up and feeling better, and just in time for our strategy session too.”

Link stifled a groan and quickly turned to Lauree as he started to stand. 

“Meet me in the Records Room at five,” he whispered.

Lauree nodded quickly as she got to her feet, smothering her smile and what Link hoped wasn’t a giggle. He was already being punished, why had he agreed to this?

“Thank you for assisting me in our King’s training today Lauree,” Tula said as she came to a halt in front of the pair. “I’ll pass on a good word to Onumu for you.”

“Sarqso General.” Lauree gave Tula a bow, and then repeated it as she turned to Link. “I hope you have a good afternoon, my Prince.”

Link nodded, an exhausted smile on his lips as she turned to leave. “Sav’orq.”

The moment Lauree was out of sight Tula turned to him. “I hope you did your readings in class this week, my King.”

Truly, death would have been too easy. Living was Urbosa’s true punishment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys thought you had me all figured out. You guys thought that Chapter 4 was at LEAST 6 months away. You thought you had time. HA! 
> 
> To be real with you all though, you can all thank my sister. She is not only my editor but also my sounding board and convinced me to finish Chapter 4 and 5, both of which I had initially decided to scrap (Chapter 5 is still getting reworked so don't get excited).
> 
> Thank you all again for your wonderful comments, I do my best to reply to you all as quickly as I can because each of them means the world to me <3 Hopefully I'll see you again soon (but not like this soon- seriously don't get used to this update rate)


	5. Rendezvous in the Records Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lauree keeps her end of the deal but Link is still just an annoying 14 year old...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gerudo language translation guide (Including some terms I've made up)
> 
> Sav’otta: Good morning  
Sav’aaq: Good day  
Sav’orq: Goodbye  
Sarqso: Thank you  
Sav’oor: Goodnight  
Sav’saaba: Good evening  
Vasaaq: Hello  
Vaba: Grandmother  
Vai: Woman  
Voe: Man  
Vehvi: Child  
Sa’oten: Good heavens  
Avvore: Fool  
Is’sahr: I’m sorry  
Aavarh: Good luck

Link had already been in the Records Room for an hour when Lauree arrived, punctual as usual. 

“Perfect,” he said and dumped a crate in her arms in lieu of a greeting. “These are all from Urbosa’s first year as Chieftain, they need to be sorted by topic.”

Lauree spluttered as the dust from the scrolls wafted directly into her face. Link wanted to sympathize but he’d already spent the first twenty minutes in the room trying to blow the dust from the scrolls before realizing that it was a fruitless task and giving up. He was sure that Lauree would understand soon enough.

Relieved now that Lauree had finally arrived, Link turned back to the small pile he’d been working on so far. He didn’t even get a chance to open up his next scroll before the crate crashed back down next to his elbow and gave him a heart attack.

“Woah-”

“Is’sahr,” Lauree said, her eyes narrowed and her hands went to her hips. “My assistance isn’t free, my Prince, we had a deal.”

“I know,” he said and gestured to the mound of scrolls before him. “Help, and then we can talk about your romantic troubles.”

Turning back to the scroll in his hands Link began scanning the text, from the top thanks to Lauree. He gathered that it was something about taxes but he had yet to figure out if it was a reform or a completely new law altogether. Maybe he could just merge those two piles together, surely Urbosa wouldn’t notice something that small? He paused to decide if he could make an argument on whether a reformed law was as good as a new one when the scroll vanished completely.

“Lauree!” Link snapped as he whirled around. “If you’re not going to help then just leave.”

“I’m not going to leave,” she said as she tucked the scroll under her arm. “You’re not using your mouth while sorting, so you can speak and sort at the same time.”

Link groaned and ran a hand down his face. “I can’t read the scrolls and talk at the same time, it’s too hard-”

“You don’t have to.”

Link blinked, his brain trying to process what Lauree had just said. “What?”

Lauree rolled her eyes and turned away. She picked up one of the crates in the corner of the room that Link had finished sorting and then came back to the table. Then she dumped the contents of the crate directly in the middle of his unfinished pile. Link wanted to scream in rage but Lauree cut him off before he had the chance.

“You’ve been sorting them wrong anyway,” she said and then pointed to the coloured tip on one of the scrolls. “You don’t have to read the reports because they’ve already been tagged. Red is trade, blue is politics, green is health, yellow is internal conflicts, orange is education and white is religion. Not to mention you’ve been sorting them wrong. You have to sort them into type and then order them by date.”

Link blinked mutely and quickly wisened up to the master in the room. “How do you find their date?”

Lauree let out a quiet sigh and, although Link had always prided himself on being a whole three months older than her, he suddenly felt very, very young.

“They’re dated along the top of the scroll,” she said as she picked one up and pointed at the date written in small letters. “That way you don’t even need to open them.”

Link glanced at the other two crates he had ‘finished’ organizing and silently cursed the Triune. Turning back to Lauree he couldn’t help but allow his curiosity to take over.

“How do you even know this?”

“I help Onumu reorder the school library occasionally.” Lauree shrugged as if that was a completely normal thing for her to do. “She mentioned that the library system was based on the Records Room.”

Link stared at her blankly for a moment before sighing and picking up the first of many, many scrolls.

“How a vai like you can be interested in Imara is beyond me,” he muttered.

“Which brings me back to my original point,” she said as she began piling scrolls into the now empty crate at least twice as fast as Link was. “You may now speak.”

Link sighed, quickly turning away from Lauree to drag another crate to their table. “I don’t even know where to start.”

“Easy,” Lauree said. “Does she like girls?”

“No. Oh no, did I forget to mention that earlier?” He said, sarcasm dripping thick from his words. “Does that mean we’re done here?”

Lauree groaned and stopped sorting, crossing her arms over her chest. “Can you please work with me here?”

“Yes, she likes girls,” he relented, tossing another red tagged scroll into the crate. “Next question.”

Her hands began tapping together and she pursed her lips as she tried to figure out what to ask. “Like, what’s her favourite colour, her favourite thing to do? Is there anywhere she likes to go? Does she read?”

Link sighed, stopped sorting and began ticking off his fingers. “Gold, training, the training ring where she likes to beat me at everything and no.”

He shook his head at her as she turned to glare at him. Her unamused expression speaking volumes.

“I don’t understand what you want from me,” Link said, his confusion palpable.

Lauree groaned and finally snapped. “I just want you to tell me what I should do to get Imara to go out with me!”

Link placed the scrolls back onto the table and ran a hand over his mouth. “Okay, alright.” 

He closed his eyes for a moment to think and Lauree chewed on her bottom lip nervously as she waited. Link hummed and shook his head a few times before finally opening his eyes.

“This might be a bit of a long shot,” he started, scratching at his chin. “But have you tried- asking her.”

Lauree stood silent and frozen on the other side of the room, her lips falling open at his answer, and Link mentally patted himself on the back. Maybe that was it. Maybe he’d nailed it. 

Faster than the eye could see, Lauree’s stunned expression transformed, her lips pressing into a thin line as she spun around and grabbed something from the shelf behind her. Link blinked and then a book was flying across the room, catching Link in the shoulder. He yelped and stumbled back into Urbosa’s desk, knocking the pile of scrolls he’d been told to not bother sorting onto the floor.

Well, now he was going to have to.

“What the-” he cried out, his hand rubbing at the sore spot that the corner of the book had hit. “Lauree!”

“You’re useless,” she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest and turning to the door of the Records Room. “I’m going, a great lot of help you’ve been.”

“Hey,” Link yelled out before she could flee. “You didn’t answer the question! Have you?”

Lauree paused just before the door, cursing under her breath. She didn’t want to admit it but Link was right. She’d always been too embarrassed, too afraid of rejection, to speak to Imara, let alone ask her out. She turned back to Link, to where he had crouched down and began picking up the few scattered scrolls. Lauree sighed, biting the inside of her cheek as she silently knelt down and picked up one that had rolled over to her side of the table.

Link had heard Lauree stop, had seen her help him from the corner of his eye and chewed on his tongue. Maybe he was being more difficult than it was worth.

“You said you have lessons with her now?” he asked, not even turning to look at her. “She’s always been impressed with your dedication in class. Just keep going and you’ll catch her attention.”

Lauree hesitated as she stood back up. “That’s it?”

Amusement flared in Link’s chest and he couldn’t help but snort. “I still think you’re too nice for Imara but most of her life has been dedicated to training. I’d be surprised if she wasn’t already interested in spending more time with you.”

Lauree blushed and stepped forwards, handing Link the single scroll as he got to his feet. “Thank you, my Prince.”

Link grunted. “You can just call me Link, you know.”

“I think I’ll stick to ‘my Prince’,” she said with a wince and then changed the topic. “Did Urbosa tell you if you needed to sort the books as well?”

“Ahhh,” Link hummed as he carefully lowered his collection of scrolls back onto Urbosa’s desk. “Yes, but I think she’s going to get suspicious if I finish this entire task today.”

It was as he was placing the final scroll down, the one that Lauree had handed to him, that he noticed text on the outside of the paper. It was a date and the title. Just two simple lines

Third week of the dry season, fifth year of Chieftain Urbosa’s reign.  
The Prophecy of the Next King.

Link spun around, a grin spreading over his face as he trotted back to the table, scroll in hand. “Hey Lauree, wanna see something cool?”

Lauree looked up from the crate of scrolls, a curious smile growing on her own lips at his excitement. “Sure, what is it?”

“It’s the prophecy about my birth,” he said, holding out the scroll and pointing at the text on the side of it. “Urbosa told me about it. A Sheikah Oracle told my birth mother a prophecy about me and then, when she made it to Gerudo Town, Abula confirmed it with her own. She never showed me the actual prophecy though.”

Lauree slowly took the scroll from Link’s open hands, her fingers running over the ornately carved details of the metal roller and thumbing at the white painted tip.

“This was likely written by the Seer Abula herself,” she murmured before turning to Link as she clutched the scroll to her chest. “Can we read it?”

“Do you see Urbosa here to stop us?” he said as he snatched the scroll back and began unrolling it. “Of course we can.”

The acknowledgement that the Chieftain likely wouldn’t want them going through her reports hit Lauree like a ton of bricks. Her eagerness gave way to hesitation and Link glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

“You going to back out?” he asked, tilting the scroll’s text away from her.

Lauree’s hand latched onto Link’s shoulder at the motion, freezing him in place. She gnawed at her lower lip before squeezing her eyes shut.

“I’m sure the Chieftain won’t mind if we just take a quick glance,” she said slowly as her eyes opened again. 

Link grinned. “Exactly.”

With a final nod he pulled the scroll back in front of him, Lauree peeking over his shoulder, and the two of them began to read.

Lauree’s eyes scanned over the scroll that was grasped tightly in her hands for the fifth time in the last ten minutes, the sound of Link’s footsteps distracting her as he paced back and forth across the room. She mutely glanced up from the words that remained exactly the same as they had been when they first unrolled the scroll and stared at Link’s pursed lips and pale face. As if sensing her gaze he paused and his eyes flickered over to her. Their eyes met for a brief moment before he quickly broke contact and resumed his pacing. This had really gone on long enough.

“Are you sure the Chieftain never mentioned this?” she tried.

He stopped again.

“Sa’oten. I’m pretty sure I would’ve remembered, Lauree,” he grumbled, rubbing at his temple. “It would’ve been hard to forget that I am apparently the Hero of Legend.”

Lauree’s teeth scraped against her bottom lip. If she was being truly honest with herself she had to admit that this new knowledge rubbed her the wrong way. It was just, Link was the King of the Gerudo. It wasn’t fair that they had to share him with the rest of Hyrule.

“I just don’t understand why the Chieftain wouldn’t warn you, train you-”

“She’s acting like a mother cuckoo,” Link snorted. “Treating me like a vhevi. I’m old enough to handle this stuff. I’ll be sixteen in two years, an adult, was she going to keep this from me even then?”

Lauree privately thought that if this was Link 'handling it’ then she likely would’ve kept it from him too.

“I mean, this isn’t good, my Prince,” Lauree said, her eyes dropping back to the scroll as she reread a few sentences about the night Link was born. “The Hero of Legend only arrives when disaster is about to befall Hyrule. If you’re the Hero of Legend then-”

“Then something’s coming,” Link finished, his hand unconsciously reaching for his chest as his throat tightened. 

Silence hung in the room, Lauree biting her tongue as she thought about what kind of disaster was in their future but Link’s mind had already raced on as he considered what he knew about the myth of the Hero.

"If I'm the-” Link struggled to form the words. “The Hero of Legend, would that make Princess Zelda the Golden Princess?”

Link’s eyes were glued to Lauree’s every move as her gaze darted away from him and she swallowed nervously. He didn’t know what he was looking for; answers, comfort? But he needed something to hold on to.

“I mean,” Lauree said, her fingers drumming against her chin. “Unless you know any other princesses that go by Zelda then you’re probably right.”

Link growled before snapping, “Stop joking Lauree, this is serious!”

“And I’m being deadly serious. What are you going to do?” Lauree asked, her voice suddenly small next to the screaming panic in Link’s mind.

“I don’t know, I can’t be King of the Gerudo and the Hero of Hyrule,” he hissed, his heart frantically fluttering in his chest. “I- I’m just one person.”

Link stared at his palms, his hands suddenly feeling small and his shoulders heavy as he sank to the ground, his knees thudding against the stone floor. It was a weight that had always been there, he’d just never noticed it before. He felt like he couldn’t breathe, like he was alone and no one could help him but all he really wanted was for someone to hold-

Lauree’s hand squeezed his shoulder and his gaze snapped to her eyes as she crouched in front of him and dragged him from the looming spiral of his thoughts.

“You might be just one person, my Prince,” she said, giving his shoulder a second comforting squeeze. “But you’re not alone.”

The press of her fingers held him down, giving him a moment to focus on the cool stone he could feel through his pants, the twinge of pain as his nails bit into the palm of his hands. He was here and he wasn’t alone.

“I don’t know what to do.”

His voice scratched at the back of his throat as he let the plea slip through his lips. Lauree bit down on the urge to give him the false platitudes he wanted and instead twisted her lips into a thin frown.

“I think you do,” she said, letting a hard edge slip into her voice. 

Link recoiled, shame flushing his cheeks, and Lauree let her hand fall back to her side. “What?”

“You need to do more,” she said. “You can't keep taking the easy way out Link, Causing mischief and getting into trouble.” Lauree hesitated for a moment as she steeled herself and continued. “You’re a fine warrior, a fine King for the Gerudo but if you’re going to save all of Hyrule... Well, you need to be more than fine.”

It took a moment for Link to raise his gaze back to Lauree’s. “How am I supposed to be more than I already am?”

Lauree grimaced slightly, filling Link with unease.

“Well…” Lauree scratched at the back of her neck and shot Link a sympathetic smile. “I think I know just the tutor for that.”

Lauree’s words hung ominously in the air as Link’s brows furrowed in confusion. Then his face scrunched up like he’d bitten into a lemon.

“No. No way- Lauree, you can’t make me do this!”

Two days later found Link hovering by the side of the training yard, his stomach feeling like it wanted to crawl up his throat. He didn’t know why. It wasn’t a big deal. It was just Imara. Still he found himself crushing his tongue beneath his back teeth and repeating what he was about to ask in his head.

This was easy, all he had to do was ask. The worst that could happen was that she said no-

“My Prince?”

Link jerked, his head snapping up as Lauree’s voice rang out across the training yard. She waved as his eyes met hers, a small but encouraging smile flitting across her lips. Too nervous to wave back when he knew that they weren’t alone on the field, Link’s eyes darted from the welcoming image of Lauree to the cool glare of Imara who stood by the opposite fence.

Right. He could do this. It was just Imara.

Link took in a deep breath and squared his shoulders before marching forward. He ignored Lauree as he passed, knowing that if he stopped he’d chicken out, but she seemed to understand, only stepping back to let him continue his long march towards Imara. He didn’t stop until he stood a meter before her, his eyes meeting hers and taking in every angry detail of her face, and then he bowed.

His knuckles rapped against his chest as he dropped his head and, although his eyes were on the ground, he could picture the shock on her face as clear as day.

“I want to join your classes,” he blurted, his head snapping up as he messed up his very first line. “I mean, can you please train me?”

Faintly he could hear Lauree stifle a snicker but he ignored her in favour of staring at the confused twist to Imara’s brows.

“You want me to train you?” she asked, hesitating with every word. 

Link nodded eagerly. “Yes.”

Imara frowned again. “You know I won’t go easy on you, I’ll be just as tough on you as I am on Lauree.”

“I know,” Link said, his jaw set and his gaze unwavering.

Imara studied him for a moment, tilting her head and taking in every determined inch of him. Her eyes flicked over his shoulder for a moment before she ran a hand over her lips.

“Okay.”

It was only Imara, and it was such a tiny thing to ask but Link felt like he was flying as Lauree whooped behind him. “Really?!”

A genuine smile crossed Imara’s lips as she nodded. “Of course, but I want to know why.” Her gaze jumped between Lauree and Link’s suddenly solemn faces. “Cause I feel like there’s something here that I don’t know.”

Both Link and Lauree went to speak over each other before stopping awkwardly. Link glanced at Lauree’s worried smile but she nodded towards Imara anyway.

Link took a deep breath, steeling himself. “Well, the other day, Lauree was helping me organize the Records Room…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for making it this far in the story guys- and to those who have been waiting for the chapter to go up, thank you for being patient <3 
> 
> I took some extra time these last few weeks to get a little bit ahead since I knew I would be participating in Camp Nano this year. I'll be writing an original story for all of July but you guys will be seeing the next chapter for this fic in two weeks anyway- which I know is very punctual and out of character for me!
> 
> Thanks again and I hope you're enjoying the story!


	6. The Coming of Age Ceremony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a Gerudo reaches 16 years they finally comes of age. There's just one more test they have to pass...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gerudo language translation guide (Including some terms I've made up)
> 
> Sav’otta: Good morning  
Sav’aaq: Good day  
Sav’orq: Goodbye  
Sarqso: Thank you  
Sav’oor: Goodnight  
Sav’saaba: Good evening  
Vasaaq: Hello  
Vaba: Grandmother  
Vai: Woman  
Voe: Man  
Vehvi: Child  
Sa’oten: Good heavens  
Avvore: Fool  
Is’sahr: I’m sorry  
Aavarh: Good luck

Heads turned as a gaggle of squealing children raced through the streets. The vendors peered over their booths and customers froze in place as the girls ran around them, their heads whipping over their shoulders as they tried to catch a glimpse of what chased them. Their feet belted against the tiled street as they were herded towards the Market Square. The small horde refused to split up until they finally reached the square, several of the younger girls circling around behind the fountain to hide while a handful of the older ones stood at the main entrance. They tried to muffle their panting unsuccessfully and their cheeks glowed as red as their hair from the exertion. The few that remained in the open held an assortment of wooden weapons in their hands, knuckles white as their eyes searched for something that was coming.

But it found them before they even had a chance.

Vicious laughter echoed throughout the square, causing the children to cringe backward and even raise a few eyebrows from the adults passing through the area.

A figure appeared on the corner of a rooftop, the sun that shone from behind it causing it to look like a moving shadow. One of the girls hiding behind the fountain spotted the figure first and pointed it out to everyone else with a shrill gasp. The figure laughed again.

“You were fast little vai,” the figure said, his voice distinctly masculine and mocking. “So fast that you forgot to check who was with you.”

A girl who held a mock scimitar in her hand craned her neck, checking the faces of the other girls. After even glancing back towards the fountain she spun back around to the figure, her short hair fanning out around her at the motion.

“Nina, are you there?” she yelled.

Each of the girls froze at the realization that they had left someone behind but the mysterious figure just seemed amused by their reaction. 

“Tarah!” a small voice, Nina, called from the rooftop. “I’m fine, I’m up here!”

The man laughed again, as if he found the girl’s assurances humorous, and, with little regard for his own safety, jumped from the top of the building. A small scream followed the figure to the ground but he didn’t appear to care as he landed in a crouch. With the buildings now blocking the sun the girls could make out the finer details of this mysterious villain.

It was a man, with reddish blonde hair dressed in the style of the Gerudo. His pale violet pants swished about his legs as he walked towards the group and his cropped blue shirt shone in the light. Though the girls paid little attention to how he was dressed when their eyes were locked on the figure cradled in his arms. Nina’s green eyes were wide as she took in her friends, a small grin even growing on her lips as she gave them a small wave.

But the moment quickly passed as she vanished from their sight with a yelp, the man tossing her over his back with only her knees hooking over his shoulder and his arm clutching them in place to stop her from crashing to the ground.

Tarah stepped forward, her eyes glinting in the sun and her lips pressed into a thin line. “Give us back Nina!”

The man stopped his approach.

“If you want her back so badly, little warriors, you’ll just have to take her from me,” he said.

For a moment not a single breath of air interrupted the still silence that hung across the square as Tarah eyed down the villain that had taken her friend captive. It was only when the man raised a single eyebrow as if to challenge her that Tarah’s chest puffed up and she inhaled deeply. 

Then she let out a single cry of, “Charge!”

The group of them raised their weapons into the air and leapt forwards as a single unit. As they reached the man the first few of them made to swing at him but he spun out of the way with ease, revealing Nina hanging down his back with her hands nearly trailing along the ground.

Understanding that weapons would be of no use against this enemy, Tarah threw down her scimitar and the other girls followed suit. Then she raised a finger at the man that held Nina captive and yelled, “Tackle him!”

The horde of children swarmed the figure from all sides, the young girls who had been hiding behind the fountain even rushing out to join in the attack. The man was larger than them, and stronger, but as dozens of small hands grabbed at his limbs and clothes he slowly found himself succumbing to their might.

“No!” He cried. “I cannot be defeated- not by any man!”

“We are not men!” Tarah cried as she rushed forward and latched her arms around his neck, the final weight needed to pull him to the ground.

With him on his stomach, the group were able to free Nina’s legs from his grip and cheers arose as she scrambled to her feet. The moment she stood firmly beside them all she raised a fist in the air and screamed, “Dog pile!”

The girls all squealed with glee as they followed Nina’s lead and threw themselves on the man’s back. He let out a pained huff as all the air was forced from his lungs but otherwise made no noise that could be heard over the sound of a dozen laughing girls. 

Amused grins adorned the faces of the Gerudo women that had paused in their daily work to watch the scene before them play out, many of them rolling their eyes before continuing on their way.

The click of heels on tiles reached the children through the noise but didn’t dissuade them from their fun. They continued their laughter until the clicking stopped and a shadow fell over them.

They froze, only moving to turn their heads upwards and face the new figure that hovered ominously over them.

“Shouldn’t you vhevi be in the nursery?” the figure asked.

The girls could only blink in response, their words failing them until Nina jumped to her feet and shrieked, “Run!”

The pile of girls scattered like grains of sand in a storm until all that remained of them was a fallen man and the echo of laughter in the streets. The man in question rolled over onto his back and blinked up at the figure, a frown creasing his forehead. 

“Sav’otta Urbosa,” he said, flinging an arm over his eyes to shade them from the sun. “What brings you to the Market Square?”

Urbosa raised an eyebrow, her hands crossed over her chest as she leant forward and peered down at him.

“You, little Princeling,” she said. “If you would care to recall, it is an important day.”

“You’re right,” he said, dropping his arm and pushing himself up onto his elbows. “It’s the only day a year I can walk through town without fear of being discovered.”

“Link,” Urbosa’s voice was a low warning. “You have duties today- you have a ceremony to prepare for.”

“And I was attempting to prepare for it,” Link insisted. “But Sheena kicked me out of the training yard this morning. Apparently training from dawn every morning for the last two weeks is ‘too much’ and I’m going to ‘exhaust myself’- can you believe it? And from her mouth too.”

Urbosa shut her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I meant the actual ceremony Link. It starts in an hour.”

Link sighed, falling back down from his elbows and knocking his head against the tiles. “Ah, I knew I had forgotten something.”

“Up,” Urbosa said, stepping back and turning away from him. “Get dressed and report to Sheena. Din forbid that you embarrass yourself in front of the entire town on your sixteenth birthday.”

Link pushed himself up so he could watch Urbosa head back towards the Palace.

“How did you know where I was anyway?” He called after her.

Urbosa replied without even turning around, just calling back over her shoulder, “Imara.”

Link let himself collapse back to the tiles with a groan. Of course.

An hour later Link found himself pacing agitatedly by the side entrance to the Audience Chamber. He could hear the chatter from inside as the entire population of Gerudo Town tried to squeeze themselves in the single room, much of the crowd flooding out of the main doors and down onto the stairs of Market Square. He stopped pacing for a moment to run his hands through his hair, his nails catching against his scalp, before starting up again. A snort echoed in the quiet corridor from his left.

“For the love of the Triune, please stop,” Imara said as she leant casually against the edge of the doorway. “It’s pathetic watching my future King like this.”

Link’s gaze snapped towards Imara, taking in the smirk that clung to the edge of her lips and the thick braid of red hair that hung over her shoulder, heavy with the intricate golden jewelry that was woven through it. She held a spear loosely in the crook of her elbow and wore the painted armor of the Gerudo guard, the only visible proof that she was supposed to be on guard duty and not slacking off and teasing the future King.

“Did you really have to rat me out to Urbosa?” he replied, crossing his arms in an unconscious imitation of Urbosa. 

Imara rolled her eyes, giving her head a half shake before stopping herself.

“You and I both know you would’ve been in far more trouble had you been late to the ceremony,” Imara said. “Plus, I did tell you not to bust the vhevi out of the nursery today.”

Link groaned and slumped against the opposite wall.

“I barely ever get to do it, no way was I missing out on the one day a year that outsiders are barred from town,” he said. “And look, I’m ready and the ceremony is late. I obviously had no need to rush.”

Link gestured to himself. He had changed out of his casual attire and was dressed in his ceremonial armor. A green spaulder covered his left arm and red trousers were bound to his waist with a golden belt. The other metallic parts of his outfit gleamed gold, including the clip that held his hair in a high ponytail and sheathed scimitar that sat at the small of his back.

“Honestly,” Imara sighed. “I’m just impressed you managed to get dressed at all.”

Link huffed, knowing he wasn’t going to get anything else out of Imara, when the curtains blocking the doorway parted. Link remained where he was but Imara snapped to attention like she had been in the exact position for hours. If it had been anyone else who came through the curtains they likely would have been fooled, but it wasn’t.

Sheena, Captain of the Gerudo Guard, stepped through the doorway, the curtains fluttering shut behind her before they could reveal anything more than the backs of a swollen crowd to Link. Sheena rapped the knuckles of her right hand against her chest plate before giving a short bow to Link. He nodded once in return and gave Sheena what he hoped was a confident grin.

“Vasaaq Captain,” Link said. “Here to tell me that the whole ceremony’s been canceled?”

Sheena didn’t reply, instead shooting him an unimpressed look before turning to Imara. 

“Mother,” Imara greeted, only to roll her eyes as Sheena repeated the look. “Captain.”

“Imara, at attention I see,” Sheena replied, not fooled for a moment by her daughter’s firm grip on her spear or her solid stance. “You know I can hear the two of you out there.”

The pair didn’t look fazed by the information, Imara grinning at her mother and Link sparing only a shrug. Sheena let loose a quiet sigh before straightening her back and placing her hand on Link’s shoulder.

“There is no reason to feel discouraged, my Prince,” she said, her grip firm and reassuring. “You’ve trained hard for this moment and I assure you that you are more than capable for the challenge ahead.”

Sheena’s words settled a fluttering in Link’s gut that he’d been working hard to ignore for the past week. It was one thing to think that, maybe, you were ready, it was another thing entirely to be told so.

“Thank you, Captain,” Link said, pulling himself off the wall as Sheena’s arm dropped back to her side. “It means a lot to hear that from my teacher.”

A small smile slipped onto Sheena’s face as she nodded once before it was wiped away like it never existed.

“Anyway, you have zero reason to panic,” Imara said with a careless wave as Sheena stepped back. “The Chieftain will likely only send you out to fight a few lizalfos or maybe a moblin, like I had to.” She shrugged. “You’ll be fine.”

Link let the start of a smile appear on his lips.

“I’m not worried about lizalfos or moblins, but thanks Imara,” Link said, his gaze falling on the doorway into the Audience Chamber. “It’s everything that comes after that.”

Sheena shifted uncomfortably beside the doorway but if she was going to say something it was interrupted by the sound of trumpets echoing in the chamber. 

Link lowered his shoulders at the sound, his nervous expression melting off his face like the hot Gerudo sun had warmed it for too long, and let his hands fall loosely by his side. Sheena stepped away from the doorway to fall in behind him and Imara gave him one last nod as he passed. Closing his eyes for a final steadying breath Link let them snap open as he stepped forward and into the chamber.

Link passed through the doorway and the immediate noise that hit him was deafening. The roar of the crowd as they spotted him was overwhelming in a way he hadn’t expected. The energy and the exhilaration gave new life to the jitters that he had only just managed to quieten but Link focused on placing one foot in front of the other, turning as he reached the main entrance and then starting the final march toward the throne. It felt like he had walked a mile but in truth it was only a few steps before he reached the edge of the stairs and came to a final halt. He watched as Sheena continued on past him to join the ranks of the Elite that stood three on either side of the throne. Sheena took her familiar spot on the right of Urbosa’s throne, Onumu and Abula standing beside her. By the left of the throne stood Tula and then Karlee and Deru by her side. 

And in the throne itself sat the Chieftain.

As Link stopped at the base of the stairs, Urbosa rose, sending the room into a rippling wave as heads bowed and fists clanged against chest and metal. Link waited until everyone else had bowed before he repeated the action and then dropped to a knee.

“Sav’aaq, my sisters,” Urbosa said, her voice reaching every member of the Gerudo without the need for her to strain herself. “I am just as overjoyed as you are to be here today, on our Prince’s sixteenth birthday, to celebrate his coming of age.”

The crowd cheered and Link found himself grateful that his eyes were trained on the ground so no one could see the embarrassment clear on his face.

“But, in order to prove that he is worthy of his place amongst the adults of this town, our Prince has one final challenge to overcome.” 

Urbosa paused and the room grew tense as anticipation hung heavy in the air. Even Link’s heart, that had been steady with the confidence that he was equal to any trial that Urbosa would bestow upon him, began to race in his chest.

After a few strained moments Urbosa finally relented. “Our Prince has been tasked with slaying a Molduga!”

The crowd roared its approval, the sound of applause and eager cries swept through the room. The cheering bodies were held back by pure force of will, but Link almost felt like they were beginning to cage him in. He forced his expression to remain neutral as he rose from his crouch and stood before Urbosa. The noise slowly began to quieten as the entire populace of the town awaited his reply. 

Taking a final steadying breath, Link rapped his knuckles against his chest and bowed to Urbosa once more before turning to the crowd. Then he thrust a fist into the air and yelled, “I will complete your challenge Chieftain!”

The crowd cheered once again and Link forced himself to swallow the lump in his throat. Keeping his chin high he took a step forward, and then another, and then kept going until he had passed Imara, ignoring how the corners of her eyes were pulled tight with worry, and reached the head of the crowd. Without a word the crowd rippled and parted, leaving a pathway out the main entrance and down the stairs that lead to Market Square.

Link didn't hesitate as he continued forward. Passing through the main entrance and emerging on the top of the stairs, Link was momentarily blinded by the glare of the hot Gerudo sun. It was at the highest point of the day and he knew the desert heat wasn't going to help him in his trial, it was also a convenient excuse as to why his mouth felt as dry as the desert sands and his palms sweated in his clenched fists.

He could do this. He'd trained for this moment, dedicated himself to becoming a Prince the Gerudo could be proud of for the past two years.

He'd be fine.

The click of Urbosa's heels followed him out to the top of the stairs where she stopped by his side, the Elite following her and fanning out being the pair. Link didn't attempt to look to her for help or comfort, he wouldn't find that right now, instead keeping his hardened gaze on the crowd before him. 

"Gerudo," Urbosa said, drawing the attention of the entire town with barely any effort. "Do you believe our Prince has the courage-”

The crowd cut Urbosa off with a cheer at the word.  
“- has the wisdom-”

The crowd roared once again and Urbosa raised her arms.

“- and has the power to join the ranks of the Gerudo?”

A rythmic thumping rose from the crowd as they all beat their right fist against their chest in unison, the knocking of armor and flesh combining to create a single sound. Urbosa let out a breath and turned to Link, a small tilt to her lips.

“Are you ready, little Princeling?” she asked, amusement flitting in her voice.

Link studied her for a moment, his hands on his waist and eyes squinting in the midday sun, but Urbosa didn’t react. Eventually he dropped his arms and let a hand rest almost lazily on the pommel of his scimitar.

“You do remember that I nearly died last time I faced a Molduga?” he asked.

Urbosa’s lips spread into a full blown grin.

“Why do you think I set this trial?” she said. “I thought it was about time you regained your honour from that incident.”

Link snorted. “You going to let Imara come save me if it goes poorly again?”

“Somehow I don’t think you’ll need her this time.” 

Urbosa pulled a small pouch from her belt and tossed it to Link, who caught it with ease. Opening it up he found only a small mound of pebbles, a dozen at most.

“Is this supposed to be helpful?” he asked, a brow raised and disbelief in his eyes.

“Use it wisely,” Urbosa said, a cryptic smile flitting across her face. “And here is something a bit more powerful than just a single sword.”

She nodded back over towards the Elite and Tula walked forward. As she approached she slung a bow off her back and pulled a quiver filled with arrows from her belt. Stopping by Urbosa’s side she offered the two items for Link to take.

“I hope that these may help you in your trial, my Prince,” she said as Link eyed the arrows curiously. “Bomb arrows, to better defeat your enemies.”

Link gave her a grateful nod and Tula stepped back, her piece done. Link turned back to Urbosa, feeling slightly more prepared for the challenge ahead.

“Now you have wisdom and power, all you need is-”

“- Courage,” Link finished as he slung the bow over his shoulder and straightened his back.

Urbosa let a hand rest on his shoulder, bringing his attention back to her once again as she looked him in the eye.

“And that is something that I know you have plenty of.”

The sentence felt vaguely ominous with the knowledge that Link had forced himself to tuck away for the past two years but he still couldn’t stop his chest from puffing out in pride at the praise and a rush of warmth left a tingling sensation at the tips of his ears.

“I won’t let you down,” he said, a newfound sense of determination thrumming in his veins.

Urbosa gave him a final nod, a sure smile etched on her lips, before gesturing back to the crowd before them. “We will await your successful return, my Prince. Don’t forget to bring a trophy.”

Link had just finished affixing a harness to one of the Sand Seals when Lauree and Imara found him. He glanced up from the finicky buckle he was attempting to tighten just as they rounded the corner to the seal pen. Their faces were drawn and tight and Link quickly looked back down to his Sand Seal, hoping to delay this conversation for as long as possible. But they knew him better than that.

“My Prince-”

“Link-”

“Sav’aaq,” he cut both of them off. “Here to wish me luck?”

“Here to wish that you don’t die,” Imara said as she stopped her march. “You can’t be serious about this.”

Link stepped out from behind the Sand Seal, his arms raised and already frustrated. “I don’t have a choice here Imara. It’s my coming of age task- I have to complete it!”

Imara pressed her fists to her lips, looking like she wanted to scream, but it was Lauree that spoke up.

“Is it the same one?”

He sighed and nodded. “I’m only aware of a single active Moldgua territory as of now, by Urbosa’s design, I’m sure. East of Kara Kara Bazaar.”

Imara swore, looking away from him even as Lauree stepped closer, placing a hand on Link’s shoulder. She squeezed slightly and gave Link a small smile.

“The Moldgua’s gut is very useful in a number of life saving potions,” she said casually, not quite looking at him and yet somehow it still felt like she was staring him down until she was sure he understood her meaning. Then her arm slipped across his back and she pulled him into a tight hug. “Aavarh, my Prince. We will await your return.”

“And may the Triune watch over you,” Imara added as Lauree stepped back, a resigned expression weighing down Imara’s lips. “Just don’t get yourself killed.”

Link smirked as he tugged on the harness one last time and stepped onto the shield sled.

“I suspect they’ll need me alive to carry out their plans,” he said. “So I may as well give them something to do. Sav’orq.”

Turning back to the expanse of desert in front of him, Link gave a shout that lurched the Sand Seal into motion and within moments he was out the gate and alone.

He didn’t look back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, hope you're all doing well and I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! It's probably one of the first pieces I wrote for this story so I'm really excited that I finally get to post it :D Some of you may have also noticed that I've added a translation guide to the top of each chapter- I figured that might make things a little easier for you all since the alternative is me just not telling you what words mean... 
> 
> The next chapter should be up in about another two weeks (crazy I know) as long as I don't fall too far behind in my Camp NaNo project (which believe it or not is kinda going really well). 
> 
> Wishing you all the best! Stay safe and stay SANE!


	7. The Challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In order to complete his Challenge for his Coming of Age Ceremony, Link must face down a Molduga. Hopefully it doesn't go like the last time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gerudo language translation guide (Including some terms I've made up)
> 
> Sav’otta: Good morning  
Sav’aaq: Good day  
Sav’orq: Goodbye  
Sarqso: Thank you  
Sav’oor: Goodnight  
Sav’saaba: Good evening  
Vasaaq: Hello  
Vaba: Grandmother  
Vai: Woman  
Voe: Man  
Vehvi: Child  
Sa’oten: Good heavens  
Avvore: Fool  
Is’sahr: I’m sorry  
Aavarh: Good luck

All life that actually managed to survive in the Gerudo Desert had to struggle every day. All, that is, except for the Molduga.

The Molduga was the apex predator of the Gerudo Desert, consuming anything and everything in its path. They swum beneath the sands in much the manner of a sand seal and lunged out with a snapping maw to eat whomever may be unlucky, or stupid, enough to be walking near them.

The first time Link had seen a Molduga he had been stupid.

Two years on he could finally admit it, and admit how lucky he’d been that Imara had arrived fast enough to save his ass. There was no chance of her swooping in today.

Link exhaled shakily as the landscape of rocks and pillars grew familiar. He slowed the sand seal to a halt before stepping off the sled. He couldn’t help but eye the stretch of sand before him warily as he walked over to his steed’s head, only taking his eyes off it to place his hand on the seal’s neck.

“I don’t think this is a place you should hang around,” he murmured as he slid his fingers under the harness.

The seal looked confused as Link unbuckled the harness, sliding it off the beast and dropping it on the ground. It didn’t run, which wasn’t helpful, so Link turned it’s head back towards town, or at least away from the Molduga that lurked beneath the sand, and slapped his hand against its rump. Finally the sand seal took off with a bark and Link watched it swim through the sand until the glare of the sun blotted it out. Then he turned back to the desert.

Urbosa had definitely made the correct choice if she truly wanted to test his courage, he was going to need all of it to defeat the monster that had haunted his dreams for the past two years.

Fearing that hesitating any longer would result in him turning back to Gerudo Town, Link began his slow march. His feet slid slightly into the sand as he walked, even with the sand shoes he'd worn for this particular adventure, forcing him to heave his legs forward with each step. It was an irritating feature of Molduga territories. As the large beasts swum through the sands, their sandpaper textured skin ground the sand to a fine powder, making it even more annoying to traverse than the regular gritty desert. 

The feel of it made Link's gut clench. This was it. No turning back, his only choice now was to charge forward and pray that the goddesses truly did need him alive.

Without missing a beat Link began to run, his eyes scanning the flat plain for the closest brown peak of a rock that signaled safety and veering course straight for it.

It was about twenty meters away, but even that felt too far as the sand beneath Link’s feet began to shift and shake. He dug his feet into the sand and he launched himself sideways as a terrifying scaled beast threw itself out of the sand and into the sky. From the ground Link caught a glimpse of the entire expanse of the monster and quickly decided that he didn’t want to be near it when it landed, jumping to his feet and sprinting straight for the rock.

The ground rattled as the Molduga hit the ground, its grating roar of frustration echoing through the desert at its missed meal, but Link didn’t spare a moment to look. Instead his palms hit the hot flat of the rock and he immediately began pulling himself up. Within moments he was sitting on the top, his head swinging back around just in time to see its tail disappear beneath the sands.

Pushing himself to his feet he kept his eyes trained on the sands below. He couldn’t let himself blink out of fear of missing the tell tale signs of the beast’s location.

But there were none. Not a single grain of sand moved without help from the desert wind, the expanse of sand before him remaining silent and still. And yet Link knew that if he placed so much as a toe on the sands below him he would be swallowed in an instant. 

Link fumbled for the sack that he had tied to his belt, prying it open and pulling out a single stone about half the size of his fist. He weighed it carefully in his hand, aware that he only had a limited number of them, before hefting his arm and throwing it.

The desert stilled for a moment as Link kept his eyes on the spot where the rock had landed. 

And then it moved.

A mound of sand as wide as a sand seal headed straight for the rock, rushing faster than Link feared he could even run. Moments before it reached the spot where the rock had landed the mound in the sand vanished.

Link felt his heart slam against his chest.

All at once, the massive form of the Molduga exploded from the sand, its body hanging in the air for a breathless moment before crashing back down, sending a plume of sand into the air and obscuring the monster entirely.

Link shielded his eyes and coughed as the wind blew the grains back into his face. It took him a moment to recover and when he did he looked up only to see the monster wriggle back under the sand. But this time Link grinned.

Link pulled another stone from his pouch and threw it with all his might. He didn’t spare a single moment, not watching where the rock landed, instead focusing on removing the bow from his back and pulling a bomb arrow from the quiver. By the time his eyes returned to the scene in front of him the tell tale ripples were rising in the sand. Link waited until they disappeared before setting the small bomb on the end alight and nocking the arrow.

He pulled his arm back as the Molduga leapt from the sands and, just as it reached the peak of its jump, Link let the arrow fly. 

It hit the beast square in the side, a bright orange explosion engulfing half the beast’s form, causing it to give an enraged scream. It crashed back down to the sands, but didn’t immediately dive beneath the surface.

With a jolt, Link realized that the explosion had stunned the beast, giving him a window of opportunity. Without sparing a moment to think, Link reached behind his back and ripped his scimitar from its sheath while he jumped down from his small ledge of safety. As he sprinted towards the beast he realized that he had thrown the stone further than last time, a good twenty meters away, but wasted no time dwelling on it. Within moments he reached the side of the Molduga. Link’s sword was already coming down in its first strike, slashing away at the burnt side of the beast. He followed the attack up with another series of blows, attacking the beast with reckless abandon. Abandon that blinded him as the Molduga shook off it’s daze only to note the single Gerudo that was attacking it.

Link had no warning as the Molduga spun around, it’s tail lashing out in an attempt to knock him away. He spotted the limb at the last moment and only had the option of throwing himself to the ground, feeling the rush of wind as the tail swept over his back before the monster began to burrow it’s way into the sands once again.

Link gasped for breath, having knocked it from himself upon impact with the ground, and pushed himself up onto his palms. Too slowly.

As he got to his feet the sound of rushing sand echoed in his ears and he looked up just in time to witness the mound of sand before him vanish.

He dived to the side as the Molduga erupted from the sands right where he’d been standing, it’s jaws snapping shut mere centimeters from his feet and catching nothing but air.

Link didn’t give himself a moment this time, instead pushing himself to his feet and bolting forwards. He spared a glance over his shoulder as the ground rattled beneath his feet, a sign that the Molduga had hit the ground, but, with no explosion to stun it, the beast was already sinking back underneath the sand.

With no time to waste Link leapt towards the pillar of rock that lay in the sand before him, grabbing hold of the grainy surface halfway up before pulling himself over the lip and splaying himself on the top.

Right, he could do this. He did manage to stun it, all he needed to do was dart in and out without overstaying his welcome on the sands.

Link pushed himself to his feet as his gaze wandered back to the task before him. The missed meal appeared to make the beast agitated this time as a line of sand streaked back and forth across the plain, searching. But that just made it easier for Link.

He pulled another stone out of his pouch, weighing it in his hand. There were only seven more in his pouch, after that he would have to come up with another plan.

Link tossed the stone directly into the path of the Molduga and nocked an arrow. The beast paused in it’s search as the stone landed before charging at it. As the jaws of the creature emerged from the sand, Link set his sights on the beast, pulling back his arm and loosing his arrow the moment the body of the great beast emerged.

A howl of rage echoed across the desert but Link had already jumped from the safety of his rock. He didn’t waste a moment as his feet hit the ground, charging recklessly towards the beast and switching out his bow for his scimitar. He lunged the moment the flesh of the Molduga was within range.

One. Two. Three strikes. He took a chance on a fourth hit and the moment it landed Link could see the tensing in the tail. No time for another then.

Link jumped backwards, his feet sliding in the sand as he turned and bolted for the nearest rock formation. He could feel the breeze created by the whip of the Molduga’s tail as it spun in place but it didn’t hit him. Link just dug the balls of his feet deeper into the sand and pushed forward harder.

By the time his hands landed on the rock, digging his fingers into the surface for grip, he could hear the best disappearing back into the sand. 

Link grinned. Yeah, he could do this.

It was the start of a game of cat and mouse between Link and the Molduga. Throw a stone, wait for the beast to emerge from the sand, fire, attack and retreat before starting it all again. It was a simple system that worked well against the dumb monster as it never seemed to quite learn its lesson. The beast did grow angry, its movements growing whipish and snapping quicker when it whirled on Link, but it still continued to fall for the trick.

It was a good plan, until Link stood atop a rock, stuck his hand in his pouch and found nothing. His fingers scrabbled for the bottom but only dust emerged, clinging to the tips of his fingers. Link grit his teeth and looked out over the empty expanse before him. All the previous stones he had thrown were gone, swallowed by the Molduga’s gaping maw, and any other trace of throwable object looked to have been buried under all the sand that the Molduga’s spectacular landings threw up.  
Link fingered the two bomb arrows he had left in his quiver before quickly banishing the idea. He had no proof that firing one at the ground would fool the monster and he wasn’t about to waste an arrow trying. An idea formed slowly in his head. It wasn’t wise, but if it worked…

Well, Urbosa had said that the task would require courage as well.

Link shoved his scimitar into his sheath and pulled his bow off his back. He loosely held a bomb arrow in his free hand, not nocking it just yet, and then he jumped.

The moment Link’s feet touched the ground he knew the Molduga would be onto him. So he ran. He knew he didn’t have long before the beast caught him but he needed some distance from the rocks so he could move. 

The sound of the Molduga’s body surging through the sand echoed in Link’s ears, growing louder with each passing second and when it grew loud enough that he couldn’t bear it any longer he paused.

It was only for a moment, he was off and running again before the space of a breath had even passed, but it was long enough to trick the best into thinking that it was the time to strike. Link was barely five paces from the spot when the Molduga erupted from the sand, it’s body flying into the sky with a heart stopping roar as it’s teeth crunched down on nothing once again. 

Now.

Link pivoted on the spot, nocking his arrow as he turned, and letting it fly the moment the scaley hide of the monster came into view. He watched as the Molduga began it’s rough descent downwards, the lit arrow flying just over the top of it’s head.

Link grit his teeth and ripped his final arrow out of his quiver, stringing it to his bow and pulling back in one movement before releasing.

The arrow flew true, lower than the previous one, and Link watched with bated breath as it exploded against the stomach of the Molduga.

Link raced forward as the monster screamed, throwing the now useless bow to the ground and ripping his scimitar from it’s sheath. It was now or never.

The Molduga thumped against the ground, it’s skin torn and burnt but still breathing, and Link surged through the plume of sand. He struck directly on the wound from the bomb arrow, piercing the belly with ease and then continued to attack relentlessly.

One.

Two.

Three.

But it wasn’t enough, it seemed like nothing would be enough as its head rose, shaking off its daze.

Link’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the handle of his scimitar tighter and decided he wouldn’t run. This was it, this was where it ended.

Link doved once more for the belly of the beast, his scimitar hooking into the stab wound he made earlier. He buried the blade in deeper with a single thrust, blocking out the second scream of the Molduga that followed, and ripped his way up the stomach of the beast with a roar of his own.

The wailing death cry of the monstrous beast echoed in Link’s ears but he didn’t dare believe it, darting backwards towards the safety of the nearest rock. It was only as he was climbing that he turned his head and noticed that the Molduga hadn’t moved since that final strike. 

Link paused in his climb, his gaze landing on the silent corpse that laid on the sands, and let himself fall back down to the sands.

He landed on his feet with a soft thump, but no ripple of sand raced towards him. The beast was truly dead.

Link held his scimitar in his hand as he approached the beast carefully, his nerves still on a hair trigger, but nothing moved. Once he reached the head his quick gasps of breath had slowed and his scimitar was still in his hand but there was no need for it.

The Molduga’s unseeing eyes laid open and still, staring into the distance in a way that made Link uncomfortable. Finally, with the proof in front of him, Link let out a sigh of relief. He had defeated the monster and now all he had to do was bring a trophy back to Gerudo Town. He did it, he passed his coming of age challenge.

A grin spread across Link’s face as he took a moment to honestly appreciate what he’d just accomplished. A whoop of joy slipped through his lips as he punched the air in triumph, taking a moment to celebrate alone what would soon be celebrated by an entire town. 

His gaze turned back to the monster, taking it in one last time. Now all he had to do was bring back his proof.

Link’s grin slipped from his lips as he recalled Lauree's unsubtle advice. His gaze darted to the underbelly of the Molduga before flexing his hands uncomfortably.

The celebration was going to have to wait until after he got a bath.

Link wasn’t surprised that the Gerudo kept out of his way as he returned through the Eastern gate, the few that did see him yelling their congratulations from a distance before running off to spread the news that their Prince had returned successful. Even the gate guards had taken a step back before bowing as he entered. And he honestly couldn’t blame any of them.

In his arms Link carried the bloated, grimy guts of the Molduga. He had gagged as he cut the Molduga’s stomach open but had only reached once the smell had hit him. Like fish in the Gerudo desert; slimey, smelly and definitely spoiled.

It took Link half the time it normally did to reach the Palace, partially because he was walking fast in an effort to get the stinking mess out of his arms quicker but mostly because he wasn’t being stopped by anyone wanting to talk to him. 

As he reached the steps to the Palace, a small gathering of the townswomen had already begun to trail a distance behind him, stopping in the Market square. More Gerudo joined them as word quickly got around, but Link wasn’t focused on that. His eyes were only on the Palace as he ascended the stairs and passed through the doorway, emerging straight into the Throne Room.

Small groups milled around the room, their chatting echoing in the wide chamber, but all of that stopped as Link entered. 

Slime dripped from his arms as he walked forwards, splashing on the tiles with every step, but Link paid it no mind, doing his very best to appear regal and princely even as a few Gerudo paled and pressed their hands to their mouths at the reek.

Link kept his eyes forwards, trained on Urbosa, sitting straight in her throne with just the hint of a proud smile on her lips. As he walked across the room she was quickly joined by the rest of the Elite, coming to stand beside her in their ceremonial garb.

Eventually, Link reached the base of the dais and knelt, the Molduga guts held before him like an offering.

“Prince Link,” Urbosa addressed him, her voice loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. “What is it that you have brought me?”

“Proof, Chieftain,” he said, desperately hoping that his voice didn’t crack as he spoke. “That I have slain the Molduga and completed my challenge.”

Silence hung heavy in the room as Urbosa leaned forward like she intended to inspect the guts in Link’s hands. She waited there a moment before resting back in her throne and letting a wide grin cross her face.

“Congratulations, little Princeling, you have now proven yourself to be an adult of the Gerudo Tribe in the eyes of the Triune and it’s members.”

Hoots and cheers erupted from the scattered people in the room, instantly echoed by those in Market Square as the information was passed from person to person.

Link stood, his own exhilarated smile spread across his lips as he took in the moment. This was it. He had finally passed, finally made it. Now all he had to do was reach twenty years of age and he could finally serve his people.

“Deru,” Urbosa called the Master of Healing forward and gestured towards Link. “I believe that our Prince has brought a gift that would be of use to the Gerudo.”

Deru sighed, a self pitying grimace crossing her face, but nodded graciously.

“Thank you, Chieftain, and you, my King,” Deru said as she stepped forward and lifted the Molduga guts into her arms.

Link sighed, grateful to have the grotesque burden taken from him, when Deru’s grimace melted off her face only to be replaced by a small smile.

“Congratulations Link,” she said quietly, her words meant only for him. “You will make a fine King one day, and I know that you will lead us well.”

Link felt a warm flush run up the back of his neck at the praise but he didn’t get a chance to thank her before she left. With the ceremony technically over Link turned back to Urbosa, unsure of what to do.

Urbosa smiled, the lost look on Link’s face combined with the Molduga slime still dripping down his arms making for an amusing sight, but it was enough to make her take pity on him. Urbosa rose from her throne and approached Link, placing a hand on his shoulder, one of the few patches that the slime hadn’t reached.

“Wash up, Link,” Urbosa said. “I’m certain that the celebrations are going to go late into the night and this will likely be your last chance for a moment alone.”

Link nodded and made to move, but Urbosa’s hand kept him in place.

“Enjoy yourself tonight,” she said, her eyes warm and a soft pressure on his shoulder as Urbosa squeezed comfortingly. “You’ve worked hard and it’s finally paid off. You deserve this.”

Link felt his chest tighten as the back of his neck flared with warmth. “Thank you Chieftain.” He looked up at her. “That means a lot.”

Urbosa held his gaze for a few moments, the faint crease at the edge of her eyes softening even more before her fingers pattered against his shoulder and she pulled away.

“Good, but you seriously need to wash up Link.” Urbosa’s face scrunched up as she pressed the back of her hand against her nose. “You’ll be kicked out of your own party if you still smell like this.”

There wasn’t much to say to that. Link looked down at the drying Molduga blood that crusted his body and resisted the temptation to itch at the substance. It was uncomfortable, and he would hate to be uncomfortable alone.

He looked back to Urbosa as he bit down on his tongue in order to stop a smile from spreading across his lips. “But a hug first?”

Link stretched out his arms and the goddess chosen Chieftain Urbosa took a step back. She held out a finger, her face shifting between stern and disgusted.

“Don’t you dare,” she said, mirroring him as he took a step forward. “You may be officially recognised as an adult but that won’t stop me from grounding you till you die of old age.”

“But Urbosa.” Link couldn’t hope to stop the grin on his face. “I just slayed a Molduga, I feel like a congratulatory hug is in order.”

“By Din’s might Link, I swear you’ll regret it.” Link stepped forward anyway. “Link. Link!”

The Market Square of Gerudo Town was truly a sight to behold on the night of a Gerudo festival. On this particular night the firelight of lanterns flickered by the fountain in the middle of the square and small candles in makeshift boats floated across the water, their light reflected back tenfold. The moon was absent from the sky but the stars appeared determined to shine just as bright as they watched down on the festivities. The Gerudo on the other hand…

“We love Link, Link is great!” The crowd of Gerudo chanted at Link as he was perched on Imara’s shoulders. Lauree stepped from the wall of the crowd and pressed a full drink into Link’s dangling hands. He rolled his eyes, feeling queasy from just looking at the liquid but peer pressure was an astonishing motivator. “He can down it all in eight!” Link pressed the glass against his lips and began to skull as the Gerudo counted to eight. He didn’t have time to take a breath, the crowd chanting faster than a true eight seconds, but as they screamed out eight the final mouthful drained from the drink and Link ripped the glass from his lips and threw his arms in the air.

The crowd roared, laughter and hoots ringing in Link’s ears, as he shook his fists in a mock victory. People jumped and cheered to the beat of the music that echoed through the square and Link felt like Imara’s shoulders might just be the top of the world.

A few members of the crowd began to disperse, wandering off to find another drink or something to eat, and those that remained spread out as the music grew louder and the dancing resumed. Link took one more breath to bask in the moment, in the feeling of right in the world, before tapping Imara on the front of her shoulder and attempting to disentangle from her hands.

She laughed as he half fell down her back, one leg still hooked over her shoulder as his hands brushed the cool stone of the square. She bent her knees until his back was on the ground and Link performed a slow and ungraceful roll on the ground to get himself fully free.

Empty glass in one hand, Link pushed himself to his feet only to stumble against Imara and bump back into Lauree. The pair of them cackled as he waved them off, his mood far too high for their teasing to bring it down.

“You need another drink, my Prince?” Imara yelled over the music, but even with her lips next to his ear her words still blended in with the din of the music. 

Link blanched and waved her off again. “Sa’oten no! Give me another five before you force feed me another of those awful concoctions!”

Lauree draped herself over Link’s right shoulder as she lent towards Imara, swaying in time with him. 

“I will!” She yelled, painfully close to Link’s ear.

Link shoved her off even as Imara shook her head. “Not a chance. I don’t know how you managed to get this smashed without your mum noticing, but Nareen will kill whoever did.”

Lauree’s eyes snapped wide and her mouth dropped open as her hands reached for Link’s arm. “My mum can’t kill you!”

Imara snorted as Lauree began to panic, clutching at Link like her inebriated self was the only one that could protect him. He had given up on shoving her off and just shot Imara an unimpressed glare as the pair of them wobbled together.

“She kept stealing my drinks,” Link shrugged, knocking Lauree off balance and nearly sending them both to the ground.

A young voice called out Link’s name and he and Imara turned towards the small girl running towards them. Link grinned, quickly shaking Lauree off as he knelt down and scooped Nina up in his arms as she reached him. 

“You like my party Nina?” he asked after spinning her around and popping her back down on the ground, crouched before her so they stayed eye to eye.

A similar toothy grin to Link’s stretched across her face as she nodded. When he took a moment to focus Link noticed that her eyes were half closed from exhaustion, the late night obviously weighing on her.

“I got to dance with Khloe and Tarah and your birthday cake was really yummy,” Nina said before a wide yawn escaped her lips. “But they went to bed and I wanna sleep now so I’m trying to find mummy.”

Link nodded, taking a moment to let his foggy brain catch up with Nina’s words. “Want me to help you find your mum?”

Nina nodded eagerly, her hands latching on to his shoulders and so Link could pick her back up again. She hugged his neck as he cradled her to his chest. He straightened and caught Imara’s eye, Lauree now clutching at her shoulder and making pathetic eyes up at Imara. 

“You gonna be able to carry her without falling over?” she asked.

“I’m not that far gone,” Link scoffed, bouncing Nina in his arms to prove his point. Nina giggled lightly, but she seemed just a little too tired to get too much enjoyment out of it.

The pair of them stood, balancing their charges, as they watched the party around them slowly fade into the night. There were still a few Gerudo dancing near the center of the square, but the music was slower now and most of the musicians had packed up for the night. Others stood by the tables at the edge of the square, snacking on the remains of the food and chatting between themselves as they cradled one last drink in their hands. It wouldn’t be difficult to find Nina’s mum.

“I think the party’s wrapping up anyway,” Imara said, a wry smile on her face. “I’ll get Lauree back to Nareen and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Link nodded and gave Imara a final wave before turning away. He’d only taken a few steps before Imara called out to him.

“Hey Link.” Her tone forced him to stop and turn back around. Lauree was still leaning heavily against her shoulder, with Imara’s arm wrapped around her waist to hold her upright, but she spared him a real smile, even if it only creeped up one side of her face. “Congrats on passing your coming of age.” Link felt warmth bubble in his stomach. “And happy birthday.”

Link’s throat closed over but it didn’t matter, he didn’t know what he would’ve said to Imara’s rare show of warmth. Instead he just let the smile stretch across his face before turning away and walking off to find Nina’s mother.

A half hour later found Link falling face first into his bed. It hadn’t taken long before that last Noble Pursuit had finally hit his system, thankfully after he had safely delivered Nina into her mother’s concerned arms. She’d been searching for the child with growing distress and was more than eager to explain that Nina had been put to bed a few hours ago, only for her to sneak out after she woke up after midnight.

Link rolled on to his back, his head swimming as he stared up at the roof. His eyelids felt like lead but he found himself reluctant to fall asleep. Tomorrow he had to go back to pretending he didn’t exist, to covering his face and staying in the background. It had been nice to celebrate the opposite tonight, it made him long for a time in the future when he was King. When he could finally announce himself to the whole of Hyrule. Four years, it wasn’t long now.

Eventually though Link found himself struggling to hold his eyes open as they weighed down by his exhaustion. It was only moments before he succumbed to the black behind his eyelids.

And then, he had the first dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that, next chapter will begin with... PLOT!
> 
> I'll be honest, I really wanted to post this chapter today because it's my birthday!! I am so excited that you guys have made it this far in the story (and that I've written this far tbh). My vision for this fic honestly didn't start until Link meets Zelda so I'm glad we're getting close! 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy the chapter- I'm not sure when the next one will be up but I'll be aiming for two weeks from now. Stay safe <3
> 
> EDIT: Obviously missed the 2 week mark here XD I'll be taking a little break from this fic due to 2020 absolutely kicking my ass but no doubt I'll be back just as soon as I've marathoned Age of Calamity. See you guys soon!


End file.
